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The gathering of friends and family is begining. We will learn some new tidbits about Tony and Cindy Salcedo. MJ also has a surprise, actually two. The wedding is wonderful and Mike surprises Jo in the nicest way. Becca and Susie almost steal the show; however George Essegian has a surprise of his own. Aw, come on, you knew this was coming. After a wonderful few days, the newlyweds have to get back to the real world and that charity concert is looming. Some folks that have been watching (and listening to) Jo show up at one of the rehearsals. Mindy and George's relationship has new meaning and Mindy's recovery continues.

Chapter 37: The Gathering Begins

Mike and Jo looked around the house trying to decide what else could be done to get things ready. There had been a couple of changes as far as where everyone would be staying. They had decided it would be better if MK stayed at the house with Jo, as they would be having so many similar rituals to go through. The DeBeers would be staying with one of the neighbors who happened to be empty nesters and had plenty of room. Secular though the ceremony would be there would be several traditions observed. One was that the grooms could not see the brides until the ceremony on the day of the wedding. That problem was solved when George Essegian offered his place for the grooms and groomsmen for a subdued bachelor party on Friday night.

Jo had asked several acquaintances and found an officiant who would perform the ceremony. Jo and Mike talked to her and she offered several samples of ceremonies. They also searched the Internet and found other sample ceremonies. Thanks to email, Jo, Mike, MK and Pat were able to put together a ceremony that they felt expressed what they wanted to say. The bottom line was they wanted to express their love and commitment for each other in front of their friends and family. When it came right down to it, afterward, none of them was able to recall much of what went on during the ceremony when it was actually conducted. That really didn’t matter, as they knew what they were affirming.

The music was to be a mix of traditional and some not so traditional music. Because of Jo’s musical background, she did much of the music selection. The committee of all the participants did come to an agreement on what would be played. After the attendees were seated, the distinguished members of the families would be escorted to the sounds of the Prelude to Lohengrin. This would be played on the theater organ and the strings of the chamber society orchestra.

Once the family members were seated, the officiant, grooms and groomsmen would enter from stage left to the center stage area in front of the closed curtain. There would be a floral decorated arbor. Jo loved and insisted on the Homage March from Edvard Grieg’s ‘Sigurd Jorsalfar’. She did some arranging of the music so that it would fit the organ/string ensemble and the time it would take the bridesmaids to enter once the groomsmen were in place. The theater lent itself very well for a double wedding. Jo and MK had flipped a coin and Jo’s attendants and Jo would come down the stage left aisle while MK’s attendants and MK would come down the stage right aisle. They would come up the stairs on either side of the stage.

Once the bridesmaids were in place, the wedding march from Lohengrin would be the traditional march for the brides and their escorts. During the ceremony, although Jo was against it at first, there would be a ceremonial lighting of candles. The others were able to convince her that it would be appropriate because of the special union between the two families. Jo then said this was the perfect spot for more music and she decided that ‘The Lark Ascending’ by Ralph Vaughn Williams would be perfect. It would symbolize their spirits being joined together and flying off to meet whatever was in store for them over the years. Traditionalism again won out at the end and they decided on the recessional from Mendelssohn’s music for ‘A Midsummer’s Night Dream’.

There had been some thoughts about where to do the reception. The lobby of the theater was one choice; however, this would mean that it would have to be set up during the wedding and there wouldn’t be enough time. They finally decided on the stage area, which had been Linda’s thought from the beginning. There was plenty of room, the orchestra could stay in the pit and people who did not want to dance could return to their seats to have refreshments. They would set up some tables at the sides of the stage and at the rear of the theater area. It wasn’t going to be a country club setting and they didn’t really want it to be.

It was just past 1:30 pm when the phone rang for the first of many times that day. It was MJ to say that they had just cleared customs and were heading for the car rental area to get their car. It was going to be a GMC Yukon or a Lincoln Navigator. She called again around 3:00 pm to say they were on the Bay Bridge and all was well. The car had a GPS navigation system and so far it was working fine. They had plugged in Jo’s address and up popped a map and the ‘voice’ was telling them what to do. A few minutes later MK called saying she and Pat were in Sacramento. Arnie and Marcia had taken their own car, but they were traveling together.

Many of the wedding guests and participants would be making the trip on the Friday after Thanksgiving; however, a large contingency would be there for Thanksgiving. Mike and Jo didn’t feel that it would be right to have to put together a huge dinner for everyone at their place, considering what they were going to have to go through the following two days. They considered that maybe one of the restaurants in town might be willing to fete a large group for Thanksgiving dinner. Mike called around and found one of the popular steak houses in the area that would be willing to give over their place to them. They put together a dinner with the traditional turkey as well as prime rib for the beef lovers.

As it was getting dark late Saturday afternoon, Pat and MK and the DeBeers arrived. Andy and Linda weren’t far behind. They were just getting the margaritas started when MJ called from the motel to say they were all in and were getting cleaned up. They had been up for 21 hours and were a bit tired and dirty. They would be over in an hour and there had better be some margaritas ready when they got there.

Jo had suggested to Mike that they invite Mindy and George over for drinks and a chance to meet everyone. Some of the people in the wedding party and guests, for that matter, were aware of the circumstances that brought her into the extended family and Jo thought it would be a good idea if she met everyone before the wedding rehearsal. They knew Mindy would be apprehensive. But felt that it would help her in the long run. As it was, not only did Mindy and George show up, but Donna followed with the four children as she would be their sitter for the evening.

Mindy was a bit shy at first; however, everyone welcomed the seven of them with open arms. A great sense of relief spread over them when Marcia gave Donna and Mindy a big welcoming hug. The four children were a bit in awe of the adults at first and they stayed close together. The contrast between Rebecca and Susan’s dark hair and John and Lucy’s almost white blond hair was the source of several comments. Rebecca and Susan knew exactly where the kittens were hiding out and the four took off to find them.

Marcia took Donna to a quiet area and they talked privately for a while. The rest left them alone and after a while, several noticed they were hugging each other for a long time. When they came back, they had tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces. They had both suffered so much under Richard’s cruelty.

Mindy was walking on air and became quite the chatterbox. Those in the know had no reason to doubt the cause of her elation. She was dragging him around the room and wouldn’t let him go. George was a bit overwhelmed at first by everyone and the great amount of joy that was in evidence. When MJ and the Ernst family showed up, he greeted them in very acceptable German and was immediately accepted as a long lost relative. They did joke with him about his central German accent. George hadn’t spoken German since Ingrid had died and he knew she would approve of his speaking it again.

Jo had noticed something about MJ and at first wasn’t able to figure out what it was. It had been a while since they had seen each other. If they stood separately, one would think they were twins. They had the same dark blonde hair and the same sparkling blue eyes. The differences were only apparent when they were next to each other. Jo was about three inches taller and MJ comparatively speaking was a bit fuller in the bust. There never would be any doubt that they were sisters. Jo was still trying to figure out what the problem, if any, was before she realized MJ was holding onto her clutch purse. She walked over to MJ and reaching for the purse said, “MJ, let me put this somewhere for you.” As she grabbed it she touched the fingers on MJ’s left hand and her face lit up. “Oh! You little shit. Are you going to tell them or am I?

“Attention everyone, my baby sister has been hiding something from us. The floor is yours, Mary Jane.”

MJ grabbed Franz. “All right everyone, we knew this wouldn’t be unknown for very long, but thanks to my sister’s detective work the cat’s out of the bag. Franz proposed to me yesterday, or was it the day before yesterday? I can’t tell for sure with all this flying about. Of course, I accepted. Thank heavens we are not as slow as my brother and sister are. I told Jo he was the one back in July. We knew it before then and this is really just the official announcement.”

The announcement just led to another round of hugs, kisses and handshakes.

Mike and Jo had ordered take out from Sang’s Inn and one of the locally famous barbeque restaurants. Mike had brought in several cases of German and California wines and an outstanding selection of German, Austrian and Czech beers. He went to the kitchen and filled two chilled mugs with one of the beers. He presented the mugs to Ernst and Franz. Ernst took a sip and had a questioning look on his face. He took a deep swallow and smiled, as did Franz.

“I thought you were going to give me an American beer, but this is a German beer, ja? Such a nice way to get over travel fatigue.”

Things settled down after that. They circled the table and filled their plates with the tasty dishes. Jo insisted that Mindy and George, as well as Donna and the children stay for food. They all did, although Mindy and George did excuse themselves after dinner. The newness of their relationship was still overpowering them a bit; however, Jo and Mike, having gone through the same experience of the newness of romantic sex, fully understood what they were doing. If it weren’t for the crowd of friends and relatives, they would probably be doing the same thing.

After dinner, Jo played the piano and Mike brought out his guitar. The Ernsts were excellent musicians and had a deep appreciation of music and they were very impressed with Jo’s virtuosity. Jo knew the travelers were tired and decided to finish off the evening with something that the Ernsts would appreciate and she did it with a Schubert Impromptu.

Sunday November 20, 2005

Things settled into organized chaos. Tony and Cindy arrived in their “Class A” motor coach. They were towing a Land Rover on a trailer behind it. Several of the men were star struck. They were not aware of everyone that was on the invitation list and to suddenly have the National League’s Most Valuable Player walk into the house was excitement beyond expectation.

A moment of very intense emotions ran through Jo, Cindy, Tony and Mike. Their history was complicated, and the depth of their friendship was probably more than they realized. Tears were shared by all four. There was no open crying; however, their entangled early relationship had meant more to them than they had ever fully understood.

Although Jo had been originally hurt that Cindy had taken something that Jo and Mike would never be able to share, she had eventually accepted it because of what Cindy had told her. Mike had also felt a terrible remorse over what had happened and Cindy had told her that, too. When Mike didn’t abandon Cindy, but instead stood by her and looked out for her, Jo realized the depth of Mike’s character and integrity. At that time she wasn’t able to articulate it; however, it was something she felt very deeply. It would take the malevolence of Mike’s father to almost destroy that feeling. She understood now that her immaturity was as much to blame as anything for the problems that ensued. Now, another circle had closed.

There had been a lot of talk when Cindy and Tony had started dating. Many of her past conquests were talking about getting another chair for him for their meetings of the Hearts Broken by Cindy Club; however something very strange had happened. Tony and Cindy kept dating. Mike, instead of joining the club, continued to be friends with both Tony and Cindy. Even that strange, bookish girl hung around them.

Cindy changed subtly. The metamorphosis was gradual, but by the middle of her senior year she’d adopted the wholesome appearance of a teenage girl. As MJ had noted in her diary, she didn’t look so cheap. Something else was not missed by MJ. Cindy was no longer competition for the other girls. The other girls never did wholly trust her; however, they had nothing to fear. Jo missed out on most of the metamorphosis.

Cindy had known early on she was in love with Tony, and that it was probably the real thing. She also had a strong feeling that her past reputation would eventually catch up to her. A number of her past conquests were going to want to get even any way they could. Her past activities had alienated many of the boys as well as girls, and the ax could have fallen at any time. The whole situation of her past was beginning to eat on her and she knew she had to do something.

The only person she could trust was Mike and she’d finally sucked up her courage and called him.

“Mike, can we meet somewhere? I need to talk about something and you’re the only person I can trust.”

“Sure, Cindy. Do you want me to come by and get you?”

“That would be fine. I’ll be ready when you get here.”

It was a pleasant late spring day and when Mike picked her up he asked her if there was anyplace in particular she wanted to go.

“No, we just need to go somewhere where we can talk. I’m going crazy thinking that I am going to lose Tony and I don’t know what to do.”

For want of anything else, Mike headed toward Azusa and the San Gabriel River.

“Mike, my past is going to catch up to me and when it does Tony will be destroyed. When he finds out about the type of person I’ve been he’ll run for the exit doors as fast as he can and I don’t think I will blame him.

“You know we made love. He was so timid and gentle. My mom was out for the weekend and I brought him back to our place. That’s the first time I ever did it with anyone when it wasn’t in a car or cheap motel. I held him afterwards and thought about our conversation that night and suddenly realized what I wanted. I wanted to wake up each morning with him by my side. Just that. I felt so good, so happy and now I am going to lose him.”

Cindy broke down in the middle of the lyast sentence and sobbed.

Mike found a parking area along the East Fork of the San Gabriel River. He got out of the car and came around to the other side and helped Cindy out. He took her hand and led her to the side of the small river.

“Cindy, what’s out there is out there, and you can’t do anything to make it go away. You need to tell Tony everything, and you need to do it soon. Tony may know more than he lets on; however, neither of you can go on without this being brought out. You can see what it’s already doing to you. Tony is a good man. I don’t think your past is as important to him as your future together is.”

“Mike, is there anything you can do to make this easier?”

“I’ll talk to him, if that’s what you want. I won’t tell him anything other than to ask him to hear you out and give you a chance.”

That night Tony took Cindy to a quiet local restaurant. It had a very nice California-Mexican cuisine and the owners were friends of the Salcedo family. Their booth was back in a corner and very private.

“Cindy, I can tell something’s on your mind and Mike told me you had something serious to talk about. I don’t think you are pregnant, because you would have told me first. He said I needed to hear you out. Okay, I’m all ears.”

Somehow, Cindy felt everything was going to be alright. She wasn’t sure why she felt that way. After all she just might lose the love of her life. Still, the possible outcomes were better if she did it rather than some hate filled past conquest.

“Tony, I haven’t been a very nice person over the last few years. I don’t really know what you know about my past; however, two things happened over the last couple of months that changed me forever. One of them was you, and the other was Mike O’Donnell.”

In a very quiet and subdued voice punctuated with a lot of tears, Cindy told Tony about her past and her mother’s influence on her. She didn’t leave much out. About midway through the soliloquy Tony reached across the table and took her hands in his. His eyes never left hers. When she ran out of gas, she quietly sobbed waiting for he worst.

“When I first asked you out and the word got around, there was a lot of hooting and hollering in the locker room about how I was going to ‘get lucky’ and then find out what a black widow you were. I wasn’t sure what they were talking about, and a couple of them explained it to me. I don’t think I wanted to believe them, and besides, Mike seemed to like you. You had dated him and you were still friends and he suggested I ask you out. He never tried to warn me about anything.

“I thought we had a very nice time on our first date. You were very sweet and nothing happened like what many of the guys told me to expect. When you agreed to go out with me again and again, nothing happened other than the fact that we had a good time, I wondered if what was being said was just a bunch guys falsely boasting about non-existent conquests. Our third date was very nice too. If I remember right, you initiated some pretty hot making out and I wasn’t about to stop you. When you had me take you to your place after our fourth date, we made love and you held me so close afterwards. You didn’t try to dump me, you didn’t try to put me down, and if I remember correctly, you were very appreciative of my bumbling efforts. At that point I knew the girl they were talking about was someone else. She was not the girl I wanted to marry. You are the girl I want to marry. That other girl doesn’t exist anymore, and if anyone says anything different, I know two guys who will explain things to them.

“The past is past, and I don’t want to hear anything more about this from you. Cindy, I know we are both barely 17; however, I know you are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. It may be a while before we can officially be engaged; however, Cindy, will you please marry me?

Cindy was stunned. She wasn’t even close to expecting a proposal. Her vocal chords didn’t want to work. When she could finally get them to function she emitted a very choked up “Yes.”

Only Mike and Jo knew for sure that they were engaged, and if it hadn’t been for failed birth control, they probably would have waited until they were twenty before marrying.

Mike and Tony decided to take the motor home to the RV Park and come back in the Land Rover. It wouldn’t take much time to set it up so they could get back to the house and do family gathering things. At the last moment Andy and Arnie asked if the could come along. Their excuse was they could help with the setup. Actually, they just wanted to rub elbows with a future Hall-of Famer.

The coach was sumptuous to say the least. Tony wouldn’t say, but the cost after all the extras, was in excess of $500,000, not that the Salcedo family was hard up for money. Tony came out of college and went directly to the big leagues. Playing in only the last four months of his first season, he ran away with the Rookie of the Year honors. He hit 32 home runs and batted .320. His first time around the circuit, the opposing base runners kept trying to test his arm and rattle him. They soon found out that he had a very accurate rifle for an arm and they would not be stealing many bases against him. Of course, when the pitchers weren’t doing their job, a few, very few, runners managed to steal a base on him. Most of them found out it was wiser not to test him.

“Hey, Mike, are there going to be many kids at this shindig?”

“I guess there will be a few. We seem to be a bit top heavy with little girls; however, off the top of my head, Ed Stephen’s son, he’s in high school, and two daughters will be here; George Essegian’s son and daughter, I think John is eight; Mindy’s two daughters are about five and three; Kate DeMoss’s two children, I think Ray is also about eight and I’m sure there are others. Why do you ask?”

“Well, I thought it would be nice to give them something. I came up late in the year my rookie year and many of the baseball card people didn’t think I would make the leap directly to the major leagues. I found out one company was doing a late rookie issue of trading cards and I managed to get several gross of them. I give sealed packs to my relatives’ kids. I don’t think I have a big head, but I know I can play this game, and I wanted to be able to give them something that might be worth something someday. Anyway, there’s a boxful up there in the cabinet. I have a bunch of sponsors and they are always giving me stuff that I have no room for and Cindy says I either give it away or throw it out. So I am giving it away.”

“I don’t know about the younger kids, but those two older kids over there would probably love to get those rookie cards.”

Needless to say, by the time the wedding was over, Tony got almost as much press as the two newlywed couples did. He was extremely gracious and the media was very complimentary. Years later, his autographs would never command the huge prices of some of the 20th century ball players because he would sign anything anywhere, but his autographed rookie card pack, if someone was foolish enough to sell one, would bring $4-5,000 shortly after his retirement.

With the men out of sight for a while, the ladies had some serious discussions. Jo, Kate and MK were fully aware of what had passed between Cindy and Mike years before, and MJ had a pretty good idea too. They were also aware of the profound affect Mike'd had on Cindy’s life. The thing that Jo was the sorriest about was that she'd refused to go to Cindy’s wedding. She had to tell Cindy about what had happened and explained how things had turned around for Mindy.

“Jo, I have to say it. You are positively gorgeous. You never took much interest in your appearance back in high school; however, a bunch of girls were extremely glad you didn’t. All I can say is that killer bod of yours has gotten even better. Girl, the hair and makeup are absolutely perfect.”

“I have Mike’s sister and my mother to thank for pointing me in the right direction. If you had been here in June, you would have seen me appearing worse than I did in high school. I think return compliments are in order too, Cindy. Motherhood has certainly done well for you.”

“You mean I don’t look so cheap. You know you can thank Mike and Tony for that. It was such a shock to me. My whole world suddenly changed because a man who didn’t love me or want me felt strongly enough about me to make sure my life didn’t go down a rat hole. I will be eternally grateful to him. Because of him, I have Tony and I have two wonderful children with another on the way and we want more.”

“Cindy, I think Mike does love you. He has the ability to see through the veneers many people wear and see the true person inside. That’s why he did what he did when he did it. He stayed beside you until he knew you were going to be okay. That’s the way he is and that’s one of the reasons I love him so much.”

The conversation suddenly turned much more serious.

“We wanted to bring Mom with us. She thinks very highly of Mike and wanted to see him and meet you. She’s not doing well, Jo. She has lung cancer. She wouldn’t stop smoking those damn cigarettes. They took a lot of one lung and are hopeful. She’s been getting radiation and chemo and is very weak. The doctors have been trying to be very positive, but I’m not encouraged. She is getting the best treatment available. Thank God we can afford it. Tony has been giving ten percent to the church and he’s now donating almost as much to cancer research. We have more money than we will ever be able to spend, and if Tony can play for another five or six years, our children and grandchildren will never want for anything. But all that money will not save my mother.

“She wanted me to marry a rich man and take him to the cleaners so that we could live comfortably for the rest of our lives. When I met Tony, I forgot all about that. It’s ironic isn’t it? Shit, now I’ve messed up my makeup.”

Neither of the mothers would ever be privy to the whole story, but they could tell that Jo and Cindy felt very strongly about each other. They were so sorry to hear about Cindy’s mother and made a point of visiting her many times over her final years.

When the men returned, Andy and Arnie were positively beaming. Their status at home would be greatly elevated among their sports loving friends. George and Mindy arrived a bit later and had the four children with them. They hadn’t told John who was there. John was constantly in trouble with his schoolmates because he was not a San Francisco Giants or Oakland Athletics fan. He was an avid baseball fan and since he could begin to understand the game, his hero was Tony Salcedo. His room was papered with posters featuring Tony. Even at eight years of age, he’d committed Tony’s statistics to memory.

When they entered the family room he saw Jaime and Maria, they didn’t mean much to him. Then he saw the attractive, expectant blonde and there was a glimmer of recognition. He’d seen the shots of her as the cameras panned the boxes and showed the players’ wives. Still, he thought she was just another pretty lady until Tony stepped out of the kitchen.

John almost went into shock. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This was his dream come true. His hero of heroes was standing not five feet from him and suddenly he was paralyzed. Tony had seen this before and came up to him and broke the ice. Five minutes later he and John were going over all the games and statistics of the last five years. John told Tony that some day he would be the first batter to hit five home runs in a game and that he’d been robbed in that game earlier in the year. John would be right, and it would happen in two years.

Tony would retire at age 36 after 15 years in the big leagues at a time many thought he had at least five good years left, especially if he played at first base or left field. His lifetime batting average would be .341, something that would probably never be seen again. He would hit 615 home runs and he never considered himself a home run hitter, although he would hit four or more in a game three times. His compact swing was designed to make contact. He sprayed the ball to all fields and many times it was just his raw strength that allowed the ball to go over the fence. He could recall very few times when he actually tried to hit a home run. The first time he hit four, and the time he hit five in a game were the only times that really stood out in his memory.

He was National League Most Valuable Player eight times, and it should have been at least ten. He would have two accomplishments, in baseball that he was proudest of. His 3218 hits was the first, and the fact he was never ejected from a game was the other. In his retirement news conference, he would explain it very simply. He loved baseball, but he loved his family more. His oldest was in college, and the other four were in various stages of school. He wanted to be there for them any time they needed him. His family had never wanted for anything except having a father there. He was going back to school and get his masters degree, then teach at one of the high schools in the San Diego area. He wanted to work with the underprivileged in the area and try to point them in the right direction.

The adult ladies had gathered in the living room and were discussing all the events that happened over the previous months and were to happen over the next few days. Cindy was talking about how she had found out about Jo and Mike a few months earlier.

Although Tony and Mike had corresponded infrequently over the years, Cindy and Jo had never been in touch. Cindy’s first update had been through the People Magazine feature article. Due to Tony’s being at home and in the middle of a great season, she’d not been paying much attention to the news and had missed the furor over Richard O’Donnell’s arrest. She’d purchased the magazine out of habit and had just tossed it on the belt with the other groceries at the checkout line. It had been a Monday off day for the Padres, and Tony was enjoying the day off at home.

They didn’t have that much time together during the baseball season and tried to make the best of it when they could. Tony helped Cindy put away the groceries in the spacious pantry of their home in Rancho Santa Fe. The homes in this area were outrageously expensive, and many had several acres of old citrus groves, many still producing. When Tony signed with the Padres and received a huge signing bonus, they looked for a place to build a house that would be able support the family they wanted to create. The beautiful hills around Rancho Santa Fe were ideal.

Cindy was in the early stages of her third pregnancy and sometimes would get a little queasy. She had taken a seat at the kitchen breakfast area to take a break and munch on a saltine that seemed to reduce the symptoms of morning sickness that sometimes hit during any time of the day.

Thumbing through the People Magazine, she did a double take. “Holy shit! Tony, take a look at this! It’s Mike O’Donnell and Jo Beebe. They are on the cover of People. Somebody tried to kill Jo, and she’s absolutely gorgeous. They’re getting married. How wonderful. I was so sorry to see them split up when they did. He was so in love with her.”

Tony came out of the pantry and looked over Cindy’s shoulder as she read the article. He hadn’t seen Mike since he’d been home on leave the year before. Tony would always send him tickets if he were playing at home or in LA and knew Mike would be home. He hadn’t seen Jo since his freshman year in college. She had certainly grown up. He was aware of Jo’s past and had also felt that Mike loved her very much. He was deeply saddened when they broke up, even though they weren’t officially an item at the time. Anyone who knew them knew they were meant for each other.

Just then, Tony’s cell phone rang and the number was not one that he recognized.

“Hello.”

“Tony, don’t say anything. It’s Mike. Is Cindy there?”

“Yes.”

“Are you aware of what’s been going on up here?”

“Not until just recently.”

“I will fill you in after a while, but if Cindy is there, Jo would like to talk to her.”

“Okay, I’ll give her the phone.”

Cindy was mystified. Who could be calling her on Tony’s phone? She never received calls on his very private cell phone. Then she thought it might be concerning her mother, who was undergoing treatment at the medical center in San Diego.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Cindy, it’s Jo. Long time, no see.”

“Oh God, Jo! We were just reading about you. I can’t believe it’s you. I bought the magazine and didn’t recognize you and started reading the article. I can’t believe his dad would do that. That must have been so scary. Is Mike okay? The article said he’d been shot.”

“He’s fine now, but it was a close call. Hopefully, we can talk about it some more later on. We are sort of rushing things up here. I want you to be a bridesmaid at our wedding. I am so sorry I missed yours, but that was partly the responsibility of Mike’s father.”

“I would love to. When and where is the wedding?”

“It’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving and it will be here in Redding. My brother and Mike’s sister are getting married, too. We’ve made some life altering decisions these last few weeks and now we’re getting on with our lives.”

“I’m pregnant, Jo, and will be about five and one-half months along. Hopefully, that’s not a problem.”

“Wonderful! Is this number two?”

“No this is three. We have Jaime, and Maria, too.”

“What is Tony doing? I remember he wanted to play baseball and Mike said something about the season being over before the wedding.”

“Jo, he is the starting catcher for the San Diego Padres and has been for more than five years. You don’t follow sports, do you?”

“I like sports, Cindy. Let’s just say that until Mike came back into my life, I had tunnel vision and didn’t think of much other than medicine and music. I have been thoroughly chastised by my father for not subscribing to a newspaper. I take it then, that you two are doing alright.”

“Jo, it’s been beyond anything I could have ever expected. It’s been like a fairy story come true and keeps getting better and better.”

She didn’t mention her mother. That could wait until later.

Cindy’s mom had been raised a Methodist; however, church had not been part of Cindy’s upbringing. Her husband, Cindy’s father had been a real cad and started fooling around on Gloria less than a week after their honeymoon. Gloria had been suspicious early on; however, it had taken a while to get the goods on him. He’d a good lawyer and managed to convince the judge that Gloria had also been unfaithful. Cindy had been conceived on the honeymoon and Gloria’s husband even professed doubt that Cindy was his daughter. Gloria was devastated and in shock. She had never gone to bed with anyone but her husband. Her own lawyer, although a good man, was not the most proficient divorce lawyer, and Gloria was left with little other than a barely adequate support check and alimony. From that point on, Gloria had taken every man she knew for every penny she could. She married twice more and divorced each husband in less than a year. Her lawyers those times were a bit more proficient and the settlements kept Gloria and her daughter somewhat comfortable.

Tony came from a liberal Catholic family, and although he didn’t push Cindy, she eagerly accepted his faith and had become a Catholic prior to their marriage. The fact that she and Tony couldn’t keep their hands off of each other led to their marriage at 19. Even if she hadn’t been pregnant, they would have married within the year. Tony’s father was a native Californian and he could trace his ancestry in California back to the 1700s. His family had long before escaped the barrios of East Los Angeles, and his grandfather had started a very successful residential plumbing business after WW II. Tony’s father and uncles continued to run it. In 1993 they expanded out of the coastal areas of Los Angeles County and opened a business in Monrovia. That led to Tony’s family moving to Loma Sierra, and Tony’s meeting Mike.

While Cindy and the other ladies were exchanging stories, Dr. Arneson, his wife, Matt and Roger arrived. Cindy noticed Matt and Roger out of the corner of her eye and knew she had something to do. She excused herself from the group and walked over to Matt and Roger who were getting margaritas from Andy.

“Mr. Cassil, Mr. Copeland, I’m not sure you remember me; however, Mike introduced me to you many years ago, when I was young and naïve, and not a very nice person. My attitude about certain things was not very good, and I was very rude to you. I want to apologize for my behavior and thank you for helping me, in an indirect way, turn my life around.”

“Cindy, of course we remember you and we are so glad things have worked out so well for you. I think we may have been a little rude, too. We knew Jo should have been with Mike; however, neither one of them had figured that out,” Matt told her. “I think overall, things have worked out very well for everyone.”

“Mike told me you had saved his life, but I never realized how serious the situation had been, and that you had saved Jo’s life, too. They are very lucky to have you as friends and I hope that I can be your friend too. I don’t want my children growing up with the prejudices I had.”

“I don’t think you are going to have to worry about that, Cindy.”

Cindy hugged and kissed both of them and returned to her group.

“What a pleasant turnaround she’s become,” said Roger. “I’ve heard that she and Tony are literally giving millions to charity every year. It’s too bad more aren’t like them.”

MJ knew Cindy only from a distance but had an idea why she and Jo seemed to be so in touch with each other. Jo had never explained it to her, as she felt that part of both Mike and Cindy’s life was their business; however, MJ assumed Cindy had dated Mike and she was the cause of Jo’s despair that night those many years ago.

MJ was curious, make that very curious, about something. “Jo with all this talk going on, I haven’t heard either you or MK mention anything about a honeymoon. Have you made any plans or is Mike keeping it a big secret?”

“Actually, we haven’t even thought about a honeymoon. To be quite honest, the last couple of months have been a wonderful honeymoon. The circumstances weren’t exactly the best, but we certainly can’t complain about how things have worked out. We thought we might take a trip to Europe next year when we are surer about when the court proceedings will take place. They are still fighting over where and when.

“The winter is a very busy time around here with the various flu outbreaks and the winter sports injuries. And, I think MK and Pat have the same problem with school being in session. We had talked about taking a trip together somewhere next summer but haven’t really made up our minds. There’s going to be a lot going on between now and then.”

“I agree with Jo,” added MK. “Pat and I will have to be back teaching next Wednesday. We managed to be able to take Monday and Tuesday off, but we can’t really take more time off until next summer. Neither Pat nor I feel we need to take a traditional honeymoon. We’ve had plenty of time since September to get re-acquainted and I guess I can say the honeymoon is definitely not over.

“What are you and Franz going to do? Have you set a date?”

“We were thinking about sometime next summer. Actually, we have something going on that might just work out. Let me talk to Franz and his Mom and Dad.”

Chapter 38: Friday, November 25, 2005

Things don’t always go as planned. Jo and Mike had just returned from their morning run when the phone rang. At 6:30 AM they weren’t really expecting anybody and Jo had bad feelings. She didn’t really want to have to go to the hospital, but she knew she would if she was needed. Fortunately, there really wasn’t a problem.

“Hello.”

“Cho, it’s Dr. Scharff.”

“Hello, Dr., is everything okay?”

“Ja, I yust fell down und broke my wrist und vee are going to haff to fly up der. How do vee get from Sacramento to zair?”

“Don’t you worry about a thing. We will send someone to get you. When are you getting in?”

“It is 11:40.”

“That won’t be a problem. We will have someone meet you in the baggage claim area. I’ll get a handicapped authorization for you so they can do a curb pick up. I’m so glad you are coming. You know everyone up here loves you.”

“Danke vielmals, Liebchen.”

“Wiedersehen.”

Jo called MJ. She knew she would be overjoyed getting a call at this time of day. “MJ, we have a little problem and I think you and the Schmidts can help out. Dr. Scharff broke his wrist, and he is not able to drive. They are flying into Sacramento and should be arriving at around 11:40. I thought it might be nice if you and Franz and his parents could get them. I think they would enjoy seeing some fellow countrymen. You could come back through Chico to vary the route a bit. They might all enjoy seeing something besides rice fields.”

“I think they would like to do that. I’m not sure where the airport is, though.”

“There’s nothing to it. Stay on Interstate 5. Wait a minute. You have GPS on that tank you are driving. Just dial it in. The airport is north of town, and you can probably get some lunch close by. Just set your GPS on Chico for the way back. It’s easy and pretty. You should be back in plenty of time for the rehearsal.”

As it turned out, the Schmidts thought it would be a great way to spend the day. They had a good breakfast at the IHOP and hit the road at about 9:30. Until they returned that afternoon, not a word of English was spoken among them. They got to the airport in plenty of time and were able to wait in a handicapped slot close to the baggage claim area. The Scharffs were in their 80s and although in good health, were not able to handle the problems associated with luggage and the broken wrist.

MJ and Franz waited by the door and the Scharffs came through in just a few minutes. They recognized MJ immediately and she hailed them in German. She introduced Franz and carried on a pleasant conversation while waiting for the bags to show up. When they got back to the car they completed the introductions before deciding to find a place for lunch before heading back. As it turned out, the best place without going out of their way was Yuba City. The GPS took them right to a very nice restaurant.

After lunch and as they traveled north, the Scharffs and Schmidts would occasionally shift into Yiddish. MJ could follow them, but wasn’t able to speak the language with the proficiency she would have liked. It wouldn’t take her too many years to become proficient.

They took the Scharffs to their motel, but then had to get ready for the rehearsal. Fortunately, they had plenty of vehicles, and transportation was not a problem.

The rehearsal went as well as could be expected. Some little glitches always seem to show up and this was no exception. Ron Alfaro was delayed, so Mike and Jo went to the rear entrance and came on through to open up the front door. They didn’t know where all the light controls were but were able to turn on some of the secondary lights, the same ones Jo had turned on that fateful night.

“Mike, the ghosts are gone. I know what happened here and it’s okay now. We walked in together and we are never going to be alone again. They hugged and kissed for a few moments on the stage, then could hear someone rattling the front door. So they walked together up the aisle and opened up the front doors to let everyone else in.

Several noted that Jo had been crying and she said, “It’s alright, these are happy tears. It was rough, but our lives were reborn here. The ghosts are gone.”

They started going over the procedures in the half-light, and Ron finally showed up to turn on the lights they would need. He explained it was starting to snow up in the hills and it had slowed him down a bit. There had been a light rain falling, the temperature was only in the 30s, and the forecast had mentioned the possibility of light snow in the Redding area. Snow wasn’t that unusual in Redding in December and January; however, it seldom stayed around very long. Some folks talked about a big snow in the winter of 1964/65 when 18” had fallen, virtually shutting the area down. There had been a 6” snow about six years before. The rest of the rehearsal went off without a problem.

The rehearsal dinner was a wonderful affair. Le Mer Francaise outdid themselves in the presentation and service. The food was fabulous. Tony got almost as much attention as the future brides and grooms. The Scharffs and Schmidts were trying to see if they had any common relatives. Vienna and Innsbruck were not that far apart, and there had been well-established Jewish communities before the war. Both families were fortunate to have avoided many of the tragedies that had occurred then. The Schmidts’ family had departed several months prior to the Anschlüss and had found refuge in England. They were able to return shortly after the war and helped with the efforts to restore the Jewish community. So much had been lost, and even today, Austria was returning confiscated property to the families so devastated by the war and the Nazis.

As they were getting ready for the dessert, Mike stood up and rapped his glass to get everyone’s attention.

“Friends, I want to thank you for making this wonderful celebration possible. You had the love and perseverance to make sure that Jo and I would finally be together. So many good things, although we wouldn’t have believed it at the time, happened because of a person’s misguided attempts to destroy us. One of them is sitting over there with that ugly guy with the bushy eyebrows and she hasn’t heard a word I’ve said. We love you, Mindy. You and your beautiful little girls have been a joy to us over this last month. We love you too, Donna. We have had to endure so much of the same thing.

“Matt, Roger, and Dr. Arneson who conspired to get Jo and me back together, what would have happened without you? Matt, you literally saved our lives those many years ago and you and Roger were there when Jo had so many questions that no one really had the right answers, too.

“We couldn’t have done it without my beautiful sister who had the strength to stand up against such insanity and make sure that Jo and I could be together. I think she felt almost as much as I did but didn’t realize it at the time. I know she was a conspirator along with our folks, and she had the strength to take charge and give us that push when we needed it.

“Kate DeMoss, what would we have done without you? You saw through all of our confusion, and like a good detective, figured out what the problem was. I don’t think you would have let me leave that hospital without our being re-united.

“What would I have done without Chief Stephens? Ed made it possible for me to be in Redding today. He took a naïve high school kid and helped him be with the woman he loved, even though at the time she was ‘just my best friend’. We certainly had some adventures, Ed, and I’m certainly glad we don’t have to go there again. Like so many Americans, Ed has given up a lot for this country, and this country will never be able to repay him enough.

“Mom, Andy, Linda, MJ, Pat, when things could have been really rough, you supported Jo and you continued to support our relationship. So many people out there could have been so cruel, and yet others were so supportive and understanding. We will never be able to thank them all this evening, but when I see them, they will be sure to know.

“Chief Krewzewski, and the entire police department for that matter, you were willing to bring in a guy with no civilian experience and put him in a position of tremendous responsibility. What do I do in return? With less than two months on the job I go out and get shot and get another officer wounded in the process. Of course, I was trying to save the woman I love and she ends up saving me.

“Cindy, thank you for being a friend to me and Jo. She told you the other night I loved you and when I look at it now, I know Jo is right. You stayed with me, even though you didn’t have to and I would have to say that things seem to have worked out pretty well. After all, you married my best friend, second best that is, from high school.

“I want to give a special thanks to Dean Kancitis and Andy Morris. It was their act that helped Ed convince those folks in Southern California where his sympathies lay. Then they came up here and showed Jo how to take a fall and also how to protect herself. I may regret the latter.

“This is such a joyous time for all, and the nicest thing is these good times are going to go on as long as we live. It won’t always be easy, and we will have to work at it once in a while, but with this supporting cast, I know that it will be a wonderful life.

“Let us raise our glasses in a toast. To love and life.”

“Hear, Hear!”

After dessert, everyone pretty much went his or her own way. The two grooms, groomsmen and other male invitees headed for George’s house where a bachelor party of sorts began. The sitter had the four children at Donna’s place. The brides returned to Jo’s house where they talked for a while with their mothers, then crashed. They wanted a good night’s sleep. Yolanda Jimenez would be there in the morning to help with the makeup and hairstyling.

Saturday, November 26, 2005

Mike got up at his usual 5:00 AM and quietly dressed for his morning run. He knew that Jo was doing the same thing. He set his timer for 30 minutes so he would know when to turn around and stepped outside into a light snow. It was just above freezing, and the snow was sticking on the grass, trees and automobiles in the area but was not sticking on the roads and bare ground. There was a very little wind and the flakes were falling almost straight down. The effect in the streetlights was quite beautiful and there was just a touch of light to the east that might have been the lights of Redding or the dawn. For some reason, several Christmas season songs started going through his mind. It was sort of like trying to not think about bananas. Once they started, they went on and on. ‘At least they’re 4/4 time,’ he thought as the beat of the songs matched his easy pace. The snow stopped by the time he returned. It had been a very refreshing run and his cheeks burned when he re-entered the warm house.

‘What a beautiful home,’ he thought. ‘Mindy and the girls will be so happy here.’ Then he mentally chastised himself for making an assumption that hadn’t been proven as of yet. Then the other side of his mind argued back saying, ‘You know darn well they are going to get married. They are so right for each other and so happy together. I’m surprised they haven’t moved in together. Time will tell. Now start getting ready for this afternoon.’

Jo finished her run about the same time as Mike. There had been a few flakes in the air; however, it was a bit warmer at the lower altitude, and very little was sticking on the bushes. Still the effect was very pretty. She went upstairs to shower and thought about bringing herself off, but decided against it. She wanted to be really horny that night. They might not be taking a honeymoon; however, the two couples had reserved some rooms in a very nice bed and breakfast near the town of Mt. Shasta. They would go up together and wine and dine in a fine little restaurant and spend a very romantic two evenings in their separate chambers. When they would return on Monday, the rest of the Southern California contingent would have already departed. The Schmidts were staying on for some skiing, then they wanted to look at some possibilities for setting up some vacation cruises in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay areas. The Wine Country especially, looked inviting, and a rival cruise company was already venturing into the area.

Yolanda and her assistant arrived at 10:00 to start the ordeal of getting the mothers, brides and bridesmaids ready. Mindy arrived alone, as Donna would be bringing the girls over later. They thought it best to wait until near the departure time as they were sure they would be fidgety before too long.

“Jo, that day you put me in the gown, how did you get it so fast and how did you know it would fit?”

“Mindy, I thought about how nice it would be if you could be in the wedding and when I looked at you, I realized, you were pretty close to Kate’s size. I took down your measurements when you were being fitted, then checked with the dress shop. All they had to do was take up the waist a little and let out the bust. They were eager to do it, as they would get to sell another dress. That was really the first chance I had to see how they were going to look, and I was not disappointed.”

“I’m a total ditz, Jo. This must be very expensive, and I never even thought about paying you back.”

Jo pulled Mindy to her in a tight embrace and kissed her. “Mindy, Mindy, you have paid us a thousand fold. Your happiness is all we need.

“I take it things between you and George continue to be good? Have you been talking about the future at all?”

“We have. I think this has happened a lot faster than either of us would have ever expected. George is a much more worldly person than I am. He tells me about all these wonderful places he and Ingrid had been to. And, instead of bemoaning her loss, he says Ingrid would like me to see them too. He seems to be perfectly at ease with me. He told me he thought he would feel guilty, then he realized he was doing exactly what she’d wanted him to do. When I first met him, I thought he was a lot older than I am and now I realize he is just a year older, and almost seems to be younger in some ways.”

“You both seem younger to me than you did a few weeks ago. Remember what I told you about love. It will do many things to you. I think you both are being rejuvenated. It’s wonderful to see how well your children get along. Have there been any problems?”

“None at all. Sometimes, I think John feels a little left out, but he does have other friends he can play with. His status has gone sky high since meeting Tony Salcedo. I know my girls miss having a father around, even as poor a father as he was, and I think George’s two miss having a mother. We even talked about having more children. I knew enough before to know I didn’t want to bring any more children into the world I was living in, if I had any choice. But now I think I would love to have more childre, if I could bring them up in the loving atmosphere that I know George would help provide. I think he will ask me to marry him and I think he’ll do it soon. I’ve already made up my mind what the answer will be.”

“You don’t think you might be rushing things a bit?”

“No. I think sometimes you know these things. I made a checklist of all those things you told me and they have been checked off. I have been doing a little reading, and even added a couple of other items. I don’t think I actually needed a checklist other than to keep track of the things my heart had known all along. I think this is right, very right.”

“You know, Mindy, I think you are right, too.

The florist called at noon and said they were taking the flowers to the theater. Jo told them that the theater manager was there and all they had to do was knock. Thirty minutes later they called again to say they couldn’t get in, that no one was there. Donna jumped in her car and called back shortly to say the theater was wide open and Ron was waiting for the florist to show up. Donna found them two blocks away at the Cascade Theater. They were just opening up and knew nothing about a wedding. She was able to direct them to the correct location and a minor tragedy was averted.

The marquee displayed the following. “Now Showing! The Weddings of Michael Sean O’Donnell & Josephine Andrea Beebe and Patrick Edward Beebe & Mary Katherine O’Donnell.” The cabinets where movie posters would normally be found had pictures of the brides and grooms. The members of the wedding party were listed as supporting cast.

The folks from Sang’s Inn were setting up the steam tables and had brought some refrigerator carts for the foods that would not be heated. These were in the dressing room area. All was going well. The Yims, of course, were guests, but being true restauranteurs, wouldn’t let anything keep them from making sure everything was being properly presented and placed. The wedding cake and grooms’ cakes were already in place.

The guests started arriving around 1:40 and the groomsmen, with the exception of the best men were the ushers. It was raining lightly and every once in a while a snowflake could be seen mixed in. It was cold, but the absence of any wind made it bearable.

The bridal party was using the loge area for making the final preparations, while the grooms and the best men were back stage. The brides had arrived in a limousine; however, when they would depart later in the day, they would be using Mike’s Yukon Denali. As the guests were escorted in, the organ and orchestra were playing a medley of traditional songs, several of which alluded to the Irish and English ancestries of the brides and grooms.

At precisely 2:00 PM the beautiful strains of the Prelude to Lohengrin began. The distinguished friends and guests were seated, then the mothers of the brides. The grooms and the groomsmen assembled with the officiant on the stage at either side of the floral covered arbor. Mike and Ed were wearing their Air Force Mess Dress Uniforms with all their medals and decorations. Pat and his best man were wearing very nice tuxedos.

As soon as they were in place, the Homage March began and the bridesmaids in their beautiful gowns started down the aisle. Rebecca and Susan were waiting for their cues to start strewing rose petals in front of the brides. The large number of people in attendance and the music panicked Susan, and she wouldn’t leave Rebecca’s side.

Most of the people in the rear of the theater could hear the conversation between the two little girls.

“Susie, you are supposed to go down that aisle and I go down the other one.”

“No! I don’t want to. I want to go with you.”

“But Susie, you have to put the flowers down there for Auntie MK.”

“No!”

Rebecca thought for a second, “Okay, we will do this aisle, then we will do that one. OK?”

“OK.”

Rebecca led her sister down the one aisle. When they were finished, they ran up the aisle, then to the strains of the music finished the second aisle and then took their places. Needless to say, everyone loved it. Rebecca was very proud of what she had accomplished, as was her mother. It was one of many highlights that day.

The brides had selected their wedding gowns separately and were surprised when they discovered they had chosen very similar gowns. They were very simple gowns with modest halter tops that flirted with the observer with just enough décolletage to be sexy but not too revealing. They were both formfitting to mid thigh, then they puddled on the floor with a very modest train. Both Jo and MK were tall and the effect was perfect.

Their fathers were wearing nice tuxedos, nothing special.

They marched not too slowly to the stairs at each side of the stage and then up onto the stage. Ron Alfaro was controlling the lights and did a superb job of keeping the brides under the spots as they came down the aisles. The lights dimmed in the audience area and the lights were then directed to the group on stage. Mike, Jo, Pat and MK worked very hard to get the service to say exactly what they wanted and felt. Afterward, they received many compliments concerning the beauty of the service.

During the service, all the four of them could remember was that they had certain cues and they managed to make it through without missing anything. Particularly poignant was the candle lighting ceremony conducted by Linda and Marcia. The Lark Ascending fit the ceremony perfectly; however, the music was too long and Jo had shortened it so that the ceremony would not drag. It was a very reflective time for everyone. And then it was over. What the four of them had already pledged to each other was now official. After the traditional kissing by the brides and grooms, Pat kissed his sister and Mike kissed his. It was a very touching moment.

The participants exited up the aisles to the lobby where the photographers had to do their thing. Meanwhile, the curtains were opened for everyone and the arbor was quickly moved to a backstage area. In addition to the tables for the wedding party on the stage, there were a few smaller tables. Additionally, there was a small dance area.

Along with the photographer hired by the families, a number of family members and guests were taking photos. The man who had taken the photos at the news conference and written the article for People Magazine was there. He had called and asked if he could take photos. From the response the first article had, he knew that a follow on article would be a good thing. The only thing they asked him not to do was to conduct interviews at the reception. When the article came out the following week, there was again a tremendous response. Needless to say, there were several pictures of Tony and Cindy. The cover had a very nice photo of the brides and grooms, and a montage of other photos framing it, including one of Rebecca and Susan jointly scattering rose petals.

Soon everyone returned to the stage and they found their way to the tables. In front of each name card was an envelope addressed to each couple, individual and families. Jo thought she recognized the handwriting and glanced over to MJ who just smiled in return. She opened the envelope and couldn’t believe what she saw. They were being given a trip on the MV Schubert late next spring/early summer – all of them! It was for everyone in the wedding party, close friends and their immediate families. The trip would start in Amsterdam and end in Vienna, and take two weeks. A little note was added that said, “Don’t throw out your wedding clothes.” MJ and the Schmidts were inundated with thanks for their generosity.

MK went to the orchestra pit where she said something to the leader. He nodded his assent and the ensemble struck up the Anniversary Waltz. Mike didn’t bat an eye. He stood up and took Jo’s hand and led her to the dance floor. Neither of them had ever danced before in front of others; however, they had practiced in secret, and very few people knew it. Pat and MK followed them and soon both families were following the gentle melody around the floor. Couples exchanged partners several times. People Magazine had a number of pictures of the brides and grooms dancing with various members of their families.

They sat and rested for a moment and Stan West, Pat’s best man stood up and proposed a toast to Pat and MK.

“I met Pat many years ago when we were freshmen at Humboldt State University. One of the first things that I noticed about him was that he could always find time to go fishing. I think he only made about half his Physiology labs. What was funny, was that every time he missed a lab, the tides were low at the Eel River estuary and the salmon were running. What really aggravated me was that he kept getting A’s anyway.

"There was something else that I remembered and that was the picture of a beautiful dark haired girl that sat on his desk. I don’t think he was much of a letter writer, but there were certainly a lot of phone calls. The years would go by and we were accepted at the University of Alaska to continue our studies. The picture went with him. I think he may have had an updated one by then. There were fewer letters and phone calls, but the picture was always there. Well, we got our masters degrees and were about to go out and face the world when we received an offer to work with a project on the Salmon River with a couple of professors from the University of Washington.

"I can remember Pat hesitating and I can remember him looking at that picture. We talked about it. His comment was something to the effect if he stopped now, all he could do was work in a fish hatchery or monitor commercial fishing hauls for the California Fish and Game Commission. However, if he got a PhD he could get out of the woods if he wanted to and maybe do something with a little more meaning. The whole time he talked he was looking at that picture. Well, we did our project and boy, were we out in the woods. He packed that picture in with him. I remember when the cell phone fell out of his pack last spring and dropped into a deep pool. He shrugged his shoulders and said he could get another one. If it had been that picture, he would have been after it in a heartbeat.

“One night we were sitting around the table in a little bar in Idaho. The work was done and our theses were basically written. Even though I couldn’t see it, I think that picture was there on the table in front of him. He told me then he was chucking everything. He had applied for a teaching job and he didn’t give a ‘you know what’ whether he received his PhD or not. I can remember him saying, I only hope it’s not too late. Well he got the PhD and somehow, I did too. Then came the shocker. He called me late one afternoon to say his sister’d been murdered and it’s in the papers and on the news, and he has to go somewhere.

“Well it wasn’t but a day or two later he calls me and says everything is okay and would I be his best man. It wasn’t too late, and the picture won. I know this, he certainly made the right choice and my fiancé would agree. Life is full of choices. Sometimes we make the right ones and sometimes we make the wrong ones. Some decisions are easy and some are difficult. Sometimes it takes a little something extra to push us in the right direction. Pat, I know that the path you have chosen is the right one for you and MK. May God bless you and Mary Katherine.

“To Pat and MK.”

“Hear, Hear!”

Ed Stephens was the next to speak. “Ladies and Gentlemen, I propose a toast to Mike and Jo O’Donnell. As some of you may be aware, the military is not in favor of long toasts; however, this is not a military function, and I will speak as long as I feel it is necessary.

“I remember standing many years ago at the door in my office in Loma Sierra and watching the kids from the local high school pass by after school. One couple in particular got my attention and there was something about them that I couldn’t figure out. They obviously were very fond of each other and yet they weren’t hanging all over each other. Sometimes I could hear them discussing music, sometimes it was something else. I watched them grow as the year passed. The young man was good looking and obviously an athlete. The girl was going to be pretty, but didn’t flaunt it. I never thought that they saw me and yet this year she told me she remembered me and exactly where it was. The school year passed and the next school year started. I saw Mike, of course it was Mike, walking by himself. He seemed a bit introspective at times and he never looked my way. For those of you who weren’t aware of it, I was a recruiter for the United States Air Force.

“After nearly a year of watching him pass me by, he stopped at the window and started reading a poster about ROTC scholarships. Seeing a potential victim, ah, make that recruit, I started up a conversation with him and found out that he wanted to follow Jo to college. I asked him if she was his girl friend and he said, “No, she’s just my best friend.” I had to ponder that one for a while. Of course I had no idea of the depth of affection they had for each other, nor did I know about what they had endured up to that time.

“Mike wanted to go to UC Davis, not the easiest school to get into. I asked him how good his grades were and he said not nearly as good as Jo’s. Of course Jo graduated from high school in two years and had a 4.0 grade average. Mike’s was a poor 3.87 if I remember correctly. He was the starting left fielder on the baseball team along with Tony Salcedo over there, and they would later be the student body president and vice president. I can remember silently praying, 'Lord please let me sign this young man up.' Well, we did get to sign him up, and I met Marcia and MK in the process. Mike did go to UC Davis on an ROTC scholarship. I left the recruiting business and went back to my primary job, doing a lot of things that I can’t talk about. I had the means to follow Mike’s progress and determined he was in Afghanistan. As a First Lieutenant, he was commanding a squadron of Security Police. I felt I was Mike’s mentor and I wanted the opportunity to work with him. I called in some chits and asked to go back to the field. It’s surprising what one can do when working as a liaison with the CIA, NSA and FBI.

“When I showed up, Mike was one cool customer. He didn’t bat an eye, that is, until the others left his tent, then he threw a bear hug on me that almost cracked a rib.”

Ed was starting to get a little emotional at this point.

“We worked well as a team and I would never be disappointed about recruiting him. We saved some men and lost some men. The other guys threw a lot at us and sometimes they were successful. Some people thought we were doing our jobs well and we got some medals. Mike got one with George Washington on it for getting hit in the head with some shrapnel from a bomb or grenade.

“One thing did bother me though. He never talked about Jo. He did talk about his sister and mother, and he played that damned guitar all the time. He kept getting music in the mail, and he was getting good, but he kept practicing and practicing. A general wanted to buy the guitar from him and if looks could kill, that general would have been a crispy critter. I know now Mike was playing for Jo. There would be some day that he would see her again and he was getting himself ready.”

“We continued to do what we were sent there to do, and then came the last day I would see Mike for a while.”

Ed stopped again and swallowed a few times and took a drink of Champagne.

“We were out on patrol in an area that was supposed to be clear. I remember hearing a thump, and everything went black. I woke up and realized I was being carried on someone’s shoulders and whoever it was that was carrying me was running. Mike had been in a Humvee some 200 yards behind me when it happened. There was a lot of hostile fire and for a second or two nothing happened. Then Mike took off on a run. How he avoided being hit, no one will know. He picked me up, threw me over his shoulders and carried me back to safety. He got an airman to tie off what was left of my leg and he took off and did the same thing for my partner. Take a look at that medal with the blue ribbon and cross. The only level of recognition that is higher is the Medal of Honor. In my opinion, and in the opinion of others, he should have received the latter.”

Ed had to take another break and wipe some tears away.

“Anyway, the Air Force decided they couldn’t use a one legged Chief Master Sergeant and they sent me on my way with a nice retirement package. I came back to Chico and bought out an old friend’s security business and private investigation service. Then Chief Krewzewski calls me to say they are thinking about hiring Mike, and want to know what I think. If I remember correctly I told them I would come up here and beat them about the head and shoulders with this prosthesis if they didn’t.

“I did come up and we talked. I did meet George Essegian then; however, I didn’t see Jo. I did find out what was going on, though. I have seen conspiracies in the past, but this one beats anything I have ever seen before, and the best thing is that it worked. Most of the conspiracies I’ve worked on in the past netted 10 to 20 years for the conspirators. This one netted a life sentence for the victims. I can’t think of a better thing to happen to two of the nicest people I have ever met. To stand up here as Mike’s best man is an honor I will never forget. This is an honor of a lifetime.

“Captain Mike O’Donnell and Dr. Jo O’Donnell I salute you. May you have a long and wonderful marriage and all the children you desire.”

Ed stepped back and gave a very snappy salute and Mike returned it in an equally professional manner. Then both Mike and Jo grabbed Ed in a big hug and held on for a long time.

After that things settled down for a while. There was plenty of food, wine and punch. They cut the cakes and shared some among each other. They were far too mature to shove any cake in another person’s face.

Mike then went to a curtain and pulled out his guitar and moved his chair over so that he could face Jo. Jo didn’t know what to expect.

Mike nodded to the ensemble leader and they played the introductory bars to a song that Jo had not heard in a long time. She was pleased that Mike would play this for her. What she got blew her away. Mike started singing in a beautiful baritone. Jo had never heard him sing before.

“I want to see your face in every kind of light
In fields of dawn and forests of the night
And when you stand before the candles on a cake
Oh, let me be the one to hear the silent wish you make

What are you doing the rest of your life?
North and South and East and West of your life
I have only one request of your life
That you spend it all with me

All the seasons and the times of your days
All the nickels and the dimes of your days
Let the reasons and the rhymes of your days
All begin and end with me

I want to see your face in every kind of light
In the fields of dawn and the forests of the night
And when you stand before the candles on a cake
Oh, let me be the one to hear the silent wish you make

Those tomorrows waiting deep in your eyes
In the world of love that you keep in your eyes
I'll awaken what's asleep in your eyes
It may take a kiss or two

Through all of my life
Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall of my life
All I ever will recall of my life
Is all of my life with you.”

Music by Michel Legrand, lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman.

There was not a dry eye in the house.

George Essegian rose from his chair and took one of the wireless microphones. He walked over between his table and Mike’s.

“Last May, Chief Krewzewski told us that we were getting a new Division Commander for Operations to replace the man who was retiring. He had just left the Air Force and was supposed to have been some sort of hotshot hero. Those were my words, not the Chiefs. We had seen Mike talking to the Chief some time before, but had no idea who he was. Well a week later we are introduced to this kid. It was strange though, because when I looked into his eyes, I saw someone old beyond his years. At first there was a lot of resentment in the force. They had hired a guy with no civilian experience to replace a man who had been with the force for 35 years.

“I didn’t work for Mike; however, he came around and introduced himself to every person in every division. Within the month he’d ridden on patrols with every officer in operations. He even went on motorcycle patrols. In a month he knew every street and area in town, and was fast learning who the business owners were and meeting them. Redding is a wonderful place; however we have problems here just like any city this size. Mike went everywhere, meeting with the kids and adults. He did it on foot, and he is still doing it.

“Then the fool goes and gets shot while off duty trying to protect the woman he loves. That’s when I found out what type of man he really was. I found out what he would do for the people he loves and people in general. I found out he has an ability to see people as they really are and I found out he is damned smart. What he, Ed Stephens, Chief Krewzewski, the FBI and others did was amazing. It’s something books are written about. They stopped the evil plans of some people who were trying to take over this state, and they put several murderers behind bars.

“I found out something else. Mike and Jo and their families are compassionate and caring people. It doesn’t seem like it was such a short time ago, but because of their compassion and love, my life took a huge turn. Three weeks ago yesterday I walked by Administration to leave off some paperwork. (Jo leaned over and whispered in Mike’s ear, “Here it comes.” This time Mike knew exactly what she meant.) As I went in, I noticed a new face. So, I went over and introduced myself to this lovely brunette who is now sitting next to me.

“I told Mike later on that there was something about her that got my attention. I thought about her all weekend and went back to talk with her on Monday. As some of you know, I lost my wife to cancer three years ago and since then I haven’t been a very pleasant person. Our children have done a commendable job helping me keep my sanity. Anyway, when I go back into her office, I am greeted by the most beautiful smile. I didn’t know it the previous Friday, but I knew it then. My life was changing forever. For more than ten years there had been only one woman in my life. She never left me and she never will; however, it was almost as if I could hear her voice saying “She’s the one, George. It’s okay. You will see.”

“I saw her picture with her two beautiful little girls and they were dressed as they are now. I asked her if she would like to go out to dinner with me and she accepted; however, I would have to get an okay from her stepbrother. It was Mike, and she was living with Mike and Jo. All of a sudden I realized who she is and I was really confused. For reasons known to many of us, I didn’t think she and Mike were on the best of terms, but I found out that’s not the case at all. Mike explained things and I said to myself what a hell of a couple they were to take Mindy, her children and her mother under their roof. For that, I will be eternally grateful.

“Three weeks is not a very long time to get to know someone; however, I think there have to be exceptions. If it is possible to develop an instantaneous dislike for someone, why isn’t it possible to develop a near instantaneous love for someone? I know that it is. These last three weeks have only confirmed what I felt and what I think she felt from very early on.

“Mindy, I love you with all my heart and soul. I want to be the father of your daughters, I want you to be the mother of my son and daughter and I want you to be the mother of our children to come. Would you please honor me by becoming my wife for all eternity?”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. Kneeling in front of her, he took her left hand in his and looked into her eyes. She had tears in her eyes, but they were happy tears and she was smiling a beautiful smile. “Yes, Kevork Hovan Essegian, I will marry you.” He slipped the ring on her finger and they embraced and kissed each other for a long time.

Everyone was cheering and gathering around the two to offer their congratulations. Donna was laughing and crying at the same time. There were no more surprises at the reception; however, there was still one surprise later on.

It was shortly after George’s proposal that Amanda Brenner and her husband, Stephen Smerud, a surgeon, came up to the table. They had talked briefly in the reception line, but Amanda wanted to find out about the problem Jo had called her about several weeks before.

“Jo, that couple that just got engaged: is that the woman you were telling me about?”

“Yes it is. Isn’t it wonderful? She is still getting counseling, and will continue to get it for a while. However, George was the best medicine there could have been for her. For the first time in a long time she has a life. And what is really wonderful is that she was the best medicine possible for George. I understand that he has been in his own well of depression for the last five years. Sometimes these things work out. Let’s go talk to them.”

Jo led her friend and her husband over to meet Mindy and George. Jo left them there to talk for a while and returned to her table. After a while they got up. Amanda hugged Mindy, then returned to Jo.

“She’s going to be fine, Jo. Thank God you were there when she needed you.

“Sometime we need to talk about your case. I had no idea you had gone through what you had until I read the article in People Magazine. How did you do it?”

“I think the answer is simple. I had a tremendous support group, even though I chose to ignore some of their mentoring. I had hope. When we discovered nature’s little joke, my family, Mike, MK and Marcia were wonderful. When I found out, I was ecstatic. Suddenly, most of the conflicts and problems went away, or at least I thought they had. There was emptiness over the loss of Mike in college, but deep inside I always had hope that we would be back together. I think I knew that Mike would never love anyone else, and I knew I could never love anyone else.

“We have been married an hour and a half but have been in love for sixteen years. How could things have ended up any other way?”

Mike added a comment, “Do you see that lovely expectant bridesmaid over there. She was one of the few people outside our immediate families who knew how I felt about Jo. Well, Ed, Matt and Roger knew too. She asked me why we weren’t going together and I told her that it wasn’t the right time, but that I would always be there for her. Jo had to travel a much steeper path than I was on to catch up, and finally our paths crossed and the timing was perfect. Maybe we would have been together earlier; however too many obstacles had to be overcome. And really, those things did not happen until just the last few months. If we had been together sooner, our lives may have ended in tragedy. No, this worked out exactly as it should have. It really couldn’t have been any different, and have ended up with our futures being unclouded as they now will be.”

Amanda and Jo would maintain contact for most of their lives. Jo willingly revealed to Amanda what her life had been like and co-authored a text on treatment for intersexed children. This area would be one of the focal points for Jo’s charitable work over the years.

The brides and grooms went up to the loge area and changed their clothes for the trip to their hideaway. All of their luggage and skis were already loaded in Mike’s Denali. Mike went out back to get the car and found his good buddies had booted each wheel. He had to go back inside and beg the conspirators for release. His windows had also been decorated, but the rain and snow that was now gently falling had washed most of it off.

He drove around to the front of the theater and then went inside so the four of them could endure the gauntlet of rice throwers. They went back to the revelers, said their thanks and goodbyes, then made the run to the car. The snow was now falling in large flakes and piling up on the grass and cars. It made a beautiful scene. They jumped in and buckled up and headed for the Interstate, leaving the cheering partiers behind. Things couldn’t have been better.

Back in the theater Rebecca came up to George. “Does this mean you really are going to be our Daddy?”

“Yes it does, Becca.”

Becca turned to Susan, “See? I told you.”

Susan ran up to George and almost jumped into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and said, “I love you. You made my momma cry happy.”

Donna took Mindy aside. “If you want to be with him, I’ll be glad to watch the children.”

“Momma, we haven’t even talked about it. Let me see if he had any other plans.”

Mindy turned to see where George was and saw him with all four of the children.

“George, Momma was wondering if you had any plans for this evening? She said she will take care of the children.”

“I was thinking that we could leave here and go to your mom’s place and get some other clothes for you and the girls. Then we could go to our house and fix a nice dinner and relax. Then we can get up in the morning, have pancakes and go to church. What do you think?”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea.”

When they arrived at the house in the pines there was a couple of inches of snow on the ground, but the snowfall was about over. The six of them walked up the stairs and into the living room together. Mindy looked around and she knew it was alright. She was welcome here, and it was so good.

Her thoughts were interrupted by screams coming from the back of the house. They weren’t screams of hurt or terror; they were screams of excitement. They hurried to John’s room and looked in.

“He was here, he was here!”

At first they didn’t see it, and then suddenly they did. Every poster, every picture had been autographed by Tony Salcedo and dedicated to John. There was a baseball autographed by the entire San Diego Padres team. There was an autographed catcher’s mitt. There was a uniform that had to have been worn by Tony during his MVP year, and it went on and on. Christmas was still almost a month away and this was going to be hard to top. They did top it, however. They got married on Christmas Day.

Chapter 39: Merry Christmas

Such a Christmas it was. The ceremony was held in the Lutheran Church at 3:00 PM. Jo was the maid of honor and MK was the bridesmaid. Mike was the best man and Pat was the groomsman. The ceremony was very short but adhered to the Lutheran tenets. The number of attendees was surprisingly large. The police department, not surprisingly, had the largest number present. The Beebes were there as were Marcia and Arnie. Ed and Dorothy and their three children also attended.

Five people were attending that few expected. George was standing at the steps to the altar watching his beautiful bride come down the aisle when he caught sight of someone he hadn’t seen in more than 10 years. At first he wasn’t sure, but then she smiled at him and there was no doubt. It was his youngest sister, along with her husband and three children. George hadn’t been invited to her wedding, and didn’t even know when it had happened. Somehow, George kept his composure, although Mindy was concerned because she realized something was bothering him.

The reception was in the fellowship hall and on their way there Mindy questioned him, “George, what happened? I was coming down the aisle and you were smiling at me and all of a sudden the expression on your face changed to I’m not sure what. You almost looked as if you had seen a ghost.”

“It’s my baby sister. I haven’t seen anyone from my family since mom kicked me out when I told them I was marrying Ingrid. I have a feeling that no one else knows she’s here, or she went against the family’s wishes in coming here. I guess another question would be how she knew there was a wedding. However, knowing this bunch, we’re associated with I wouldn’t have put it past them to have tried to get my family up here.”

When George and Mindy entered the Fellowship Hall and took their places in the reception line, the first in the line were his sister and her husband and children. There was a long period of silent hugging and some suppressed tears. His sister’s name was Lousine and George’s daughter was named after her. Lucy’s husband was Ari, and their children were Daniel, Isaac and Margaret. George and Mindy’s four were in the line for a while, but decorum broke down and the cousins ran off together.

It turned out it wasn’t too hard to find most of George’s relatives in Fresno and the surrounding area, but to get them to come to the wedding or even acknowledge George’s existence had been an entirely different matter. Ed Stephens was able to get the phone numbers and addresses of George’s immediate family; however, all but two of the invitations were returned unopened. This was at the order of the family matriarch, George’s mother.

Jo finally had all she could stand and drove to Fresno and met with George’s mother. She was intransigent. As far as she was concerned, George was dead, and anyone who went against her wishes would find himself or herself in a similar status. She would relent several years later at the encouragement of her priest after the birth of her last grandchild. Jo went next to Lousine’s house and received a much warmer welcome. Lousine and George had been very close and it had broken her heart when her mother had insisted George was no longer a member of the family. Jo met her husband and children and told Lousine she would have three nieces and a nephew to meet and it would mean a lot to everyone if they would come. There had been too much tragedy in both George and Mindy’s past and if they could come it would help start a lot of healing among all the families. Thankfully Lousine and Ari agreed and were willing to suffer the displeasure of Lousine’s mother. As the Armenian Apostolic Christmas was still some time off, there was no conflict with the Christmas holiday.

George and Mindy left on a brief honeymoon while the children stayed with Donna. They did not leave until the following Monday, and headed south to Fresno having been preceded by Ari and Lousine. They were able to join up with many of George’s closest relatives at one of the fine Armenian restaurants located in the town. Ari had managed to reserve a banquet room and there was a very joyful reunion. The omniscient shadow of George’s mother was there; however, she was not, and it no longer held the power it once did. Thanks to Jo, Lousine and Ari and the realization among many of them that the old ways were not always the best, the Essegian family would gradually be reunited. Grandmother Khatchouhi would not give in until the birth of George and Mindy’s second child, named after her grandmother.

From Fresno, George and Mindy proceeded through the coastal mountains and spent several romantic nights at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. Mindy had blossomed under George’s tender loving care. She and the girls moved into George’s house three days after Jo’s wedding and never looked back. Once Mindy found the pleasures of romantic love and sex, the wraps came off to a certain degree. George had never been one to explore the vagaries of the sex act as some people did, and needless to say just about anything was new to Mindy. What they had was an extremely powerful love, and sex between them became a very intense and satisfying act. Mindy, who had never experienced significant arousal prior to George suddenly found that even anticipation of sex with him made her extremely aroused. She found that during and after making love she became extremely lubricated and wasn’t really sure what to do about it. She was also quite shy about being nude.

After one particularly passionate episode, she complained about being ‘wet and sticky’. George promptly got out of bed and led her, somewhat protesting, to the shower.

Mindy, who prior to George had never been nude with a man except in bed, and even then, usually had a nightgown on, was a bit disturbed by George’s openness. She was reluctant to let George see her in the light of the bathroom.

“Mindy, what is your problem with being unclothed with me? We just spent the most enjoyable time making love and now you are trying to hide from me. I worship you and love your body. When we are together like this, it doesn’t make sense to hide from each other.”

“I’m sorry; I was raised in an environment where women and men were never allowed to be unclothed together except in bed. I can’t quote you the chapter and verse, but I know it’s in the Bible.”

“Mindy, if I wanted to, I could quote you all sorts of things from the Bible that make no sense at all. Many good things are in there; however, there is so much that makes no sense in today’s more knowledgeable society. Much of the Bible is based on ignorance and superstition. Parts of it were written more than 3,000 years ago.

“I have a question for you. How do you feel about what we just did?”

“Physically, I feel wonderful. Mentally, I used to have mixed emotions but the bad ones are fading fast. A few weeks ago, I would have said it was sinful, but now I am not so sure it is. I’m finding so much of what I had been taught was wrong.”

“Have we hurt anyone? Neither of has a spouse, so we are not cheating on anyone or breaking sacred vows. I intend to marry you, and you have said you will marry me. I’ll bet you cannot give me one valid reason, other than that someone else told you it was wrong, that we shouldn’t be here enjoying each other and making love to each other. Our love didn’t just end over in that bed. It continues always. Making love the way we just did was just one little adventure in this big continuum of love we are creating.

“Now I want you to take my hand and come with me into this shower and I’m going to show you some other ways we can make love. As far as I am concerned, no matter where we go or where we are, we will always be making love. It might be the way we look at each other at the breakfast table or it might be while riding somewhere in the car. It might be when we get to talk briefly at work. It will just be different stages of the same thing. In this shower I am going to love you by appreciating the way you look and feel as I caress you. I am also going to peer into your beautiful eyes and thank God for bringing you to me. After we bathe and dry each other off I am going to carry you back to the bed and worship you further. I don’t have any specific agenda. I just want to hold you in my arms.”

This was the first night he made oral love to her. She protested at first, but he ignored her protests and they were soon fading away. Mindy was very vocal when she reached orgasm. She couldn’t help it. After so many years of receiving nothing, the whole experience was a triumph over oppression. This night was no exception and they were both afraid they had awakened the children. Fortunately, their room was remote from the other bedrooms. It would be several weeks, but eventually, Mindy would enthusiastically return the favor. George made sure that Mindy never felt she was being forced to do anything and Mindy eventually became much more open and flirtatious with George.

Their honeymoon was a wonderful experience for both of them. They were still young, and Mindy made up for much of what she had missed out on during her previous marriage. They had no schedule to stick to. They took walks on the beach, slept when they wanted to, ate too much good food and made love when the mood struck. They drove to Hearst Castle and spent a day in Cambria looking through the art shops and antique stores. By the end of the week they were more in love than ever.

On their trip home they continued up California Highway 1 and joined US 101 to the cutoff to the Central Valley and Interstate 5. The trip was very enjoyable to say the least, but they were both anxious to get home and be with the children.

January turned out to be a quiet month and it was none too soon. Jo and Mike realized they had been running on adrenalin since July. They had hardly had time for themselves, much less the routine things they had both been doing before the world for them was so greatly changed. Because the weather was cooler, they ran more in the afternoon after work and slept in a bit more in the morning. Jo had several students she’d been working with and she was able to get back on a schedule for giving some weekly lessons. Mike and Jo had decided on what they were going to perform for the charity concert and the fact they were both performing created a tremendous amount of interest in the northern valley area. The folks who were in charge realized that the demand for seats was far greater than they had ever expected, so they moved the concert from the smaller Orpheum to the recently refurbished Cascade Theater. The Cascade was almost three times bigger than the Orpheum, and was well equipped for bigger productions. There was an orchestra pit; however, this performance would be from the stage.

Jo continued to marvel at how well Mike was doing and he said he was willing to give the Rodrigo concerto a try. He’d never performed in front of huge audiences; however, Jo felt he wouldn’t have any problems. When he sang for her at the reception, he'd pulled it off without faltering one bit. She realized afterward that he’d to rearrange the piece for his lower range and he did it without anyone’s assistance. When she first confronted him about his guitar playing and had asked him if he could play the entire concerto, he said he could and that the first and third movements were easier. As it actually turned out, the first movement gave him some trouble, but he and Jo were able to work it out so that when he rehearsed it with a full orchestra, it went very well.

It was during the rehearsal that Jo first noted some men sitting in the back of the theater. They would confer with each other during the numbers and seemed especially interested when Jo was playing. During a break Jo asked who they were and found out they were from Sony Records and were thinking about recording the performance.

“What does the charity get out of this?” asked Jo.

“They have made a very good offer. We are basically a mixed bag of professionals and semiprofessionals and everyone will get some of the receipts from any recording. They will also be making a sizeable donation to the Foundation.

“Dr. O’Donnell, they may be here to monitor the orchestra, but I think their main purpose is to watch and listen to you. This is a good group of musicians, and some are very talented; however, not one can hold a candle to you. You are a world-class pianist who could be performing in any concert hall in the world. I think they want to offer you a contract when this is over.”

Jo was taken aback. She played because she loved to play. As she had mentioned many times, she enjoyed people enjoying her music. She never thought of it as work. It was part of her life and soul. Many times she had refused compensation for her playing and lessons. She did insist that her students be serious about playing, and if she recognized that a prospective student did not have the talent or perseverance, she would not continue the instruction very long.

The rehearsal continued to go well and the same four men and occasionally a woman would listen attentively. Jo noticed that they did pay more and more attention to her portions of the performance. Finally Jo had all she could stand, and during the rehearsal of one of the orchestral selections, she went to the back of the theater and introduced herself to the five observers. “Hi, I’m Dr. Jo O’Donnell and I understand you are thinking about recording our performance.”

“Dr. O’Donnell, it is a pleasure to meet you. I’m Byron Fletcher and you might say that I’m a talent scout for Sony on the west coast. This is Ms. Olivia Smithson who is my east coast counterpart, and Mr. William Parmeter is my second in charge. Mr. Akahiro Nakamura on the left works with Sony Records in Hollywood and Mr. Hideo Watanabe on the right is visiting from Japan. He oversees US recording operations.

“Dr. O’Donnell, Mr. Nakamura and I and two others from Sony were here last summer when you and the chamber group put on that excellent performance. We understand that it was a rather horrific weekend for you and your husband. We’re so glad that things have worked out for you.

“I think you know why we are here. We heard that you were a talented musician and that you were maintaining a low profile, primarily working as a doctor and surgeon. We were ready to approach you last year when all of the events occurred. The last thing we wanted to do was to approach you with all that going on. Our mission has several points. Of course we want to make money; however, your story is particularly endearing and we feel you could be another valuable spokesperson for classical music. We thought this even before the events of last July, but the response to the articles in People, other news magazines and the national news interest in everything that has gone on served to reinforce what we already felt. We feel you could be a strong icon for education and the arts. We also feel, that even without emphasizing your past, that you can be a strong influence for troubled youth.

“Frankly, the talent you have exhibited has astounded us. We never did expect, though, that your husband is also a very good musician. He is not a Christopher Parkening; however, we understand he is primarily self-taught and has never had significant training. When you two play together, the rapport is astounding.”

“Yes, we are that way in everything. We are both better because of the other. Now explain to me what exactly you have in mind.”

Mike had seen Jo go to the back of the theater and had approached during the conversation. She introduced him to the others and they both listened to Mr. Fletcher’s proposal.

“Dr. Beebe, we want to sign you to a recording contract. We also want to sponsor you on a concert tour or tours around the world. With your talent and good looks, you can be the next Martha Argerich.”

Jo took Mike’s hand in hers and held him tightly. “Mr. Fletcher, Mike and I have wonderful careers in Redding and I don’t think we have any desire to change them at this time. We intend to start raising a family very soon. I don’t think that either of us wants to be traveling the world with a family on the way. I don’t intend to be another Martha Argerich, who is a far more talented musician than I will ever be. Also, and don’t print this, Mike is the only father I intend to have my children by.

“Now, I will make you a proposition. If you can record our performances here in Redding, I might be interested in making a few recordings. Of course the other performers will be paid to scale, and will be entitled to residuals. I have not taken any money for my past performances and I will continue not to take any compensation. Any money that I may be entitled to must be donated to charities of my choosing. In the future, when my children are old enough to travel, I would consider traveling only if my entire family can travel with me, and the organization putting on the concert would pay all expenses.

This will mean only certain times of year because I will not disrupt my husband’s work, my children’s schooling, or my medical practice. Again, any compensation would go to a charity of my choice. We do not need money. My husband and I are well compensated for what we do. We like Redding and we have no desire to move. If you can agree to those terms, and my lawyer agrees with the contract, I might be interested. Now if you will excuse me, I have a concerto to rehearse.”

Every one of the theater’s 996 seats was sold out two weeks before the concert. There was even talk of some scalping going on; however, that was never confirmed. As someone said, “A lot of mink died for this occasion.”

Some thought that they might have been a bit ambitious in the scope of the performance. It certainly wasn’t on the scale of Beethoven’s monster concert, but it was lengthy. They had planned on two encores. The concert started with the overture to Otto Nicolai’s Merry Wives of Windsor. The next number was one that many were not familiar. Rachmaninoff wrote his first concerto when he was only eighteen. It is a beautifully melodic piece that has a lot of late romantic influence. Jo silently blessed the horn section for their flawless introduction. The audience loved it. There was a very brief intermission while the orchestra left the stage before Jo returned with Mike to play the Arpeggione Sonata. The guitar had a proximity microphone to help balance the volume. Most of the audience was not familiar with the piece; however, they would never forget it. It was an obvious love duet. Mike and Jo played off each other and to each other. When asked about it later, both claimed they never knew the audience was there.

After the intermission came the last scheduled piece, the Concierto de Aranjuez. Mike was in a zone, and probably gave the best performance of his life to that point, not that he’d given many performances in the past. Everything clicked. When he listened to the recording later on, he couldn’t believe he was playing and thought someone was playing a joke on him. He’d never heard a recording of his playing before. After several bows and curtain calls, Jo came out and took her place at the piano.

They played a piece many had heard, but few could recall the name. It was the scherzo movement from Henry Litolff’s Concerto Symphonique No. 4. It’s a real rousing and delightful piece of music.

The audience was sure that Mike would come out for his own encore, and sure enough, he came out and took his place on the chair left there for him. The audience was wondering what the entire ensemble would be playing. Mike announced in a very clear voice, “Maurice Ravel, Pavane for a Dead Princess.” It was the perfect piece to close out a wonderful performance by all, a quiet prayer for peace and tranquility.

Although most are familiar with it as an orchestrated piece, Mike played it as a solo. When he finished, the audience erupted in appreciation. Jo finished the evening by coming over to Mike and giving him a not too chaste kiss. There would be many concerts in the future and although they were always well received, few had the impact this one did, that is until Jo and Mike’s children performed.

Mike received a major surprise the following week. He was doing some paper work in his office and listening to NPR’s Performance Today. He hadn’t been paying much attention until he heard something about a recording of a concert given in Redding, California the previous week.

He quickly got on the phone and called Jo

“Jo, if you have a moment, turn on Performance Today.”

“Why? Surely they’re not ….”

“Yes, they are.”

The word got around both work places very quickly and even those that weren’t classical music listeners tuned to KFPR, 88.9. After several other selections Fred Child announced the next piece was Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto Number One played by Dr. Josephine O’Donnell a surgeon from Redding, California. “Some of you may be familiar with Dr. O’Donnell and her husband’s harrowing experiences of last year and if you are not, I recommend you look in the back issues of several news magazines. What you are going to hear is quite a remarkable performance by a musician who insists on remaining an amateur. And in the next hour we are going to hear another selection from the same concert performed by Dr. O’Donnell and her very talented husband Captain Mike O’Donnell, a decorated war hero.”

Mike and Jo were stunned. They knew KCHO, 91.7, in Chico had recorded the concert with the intent of producing a CD for charity sales; however, they never anticipated national exposure. The decision had been made not to go with Sony, and as far as Mike could tell the performance sounded like a professional recording done by professional musicians which in actuality, most of them were. In the second hour they played Jo and Mike’s performance of the Arpeggione Sonata. Fred Child then announced they would play the rest of the concert over the week to come. Performance Today reached over a million listeners a day. That and the millions that read People Magazine and the other real news magazines meant that millions of people in the country knew who Captain and Doctor O’Donnell were. Over the year, the sale of the CD would account for much more money for charity than the original concert had. This just increased the fervor that Sony exhibited in pursuing a contract with Jo. Then there were the Grammy nominations …

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