32
Two weeks later in Gary, Indiana
Logan glanced over at Thea who sat beside his father on the sofa. He’d met her yesterday and he had liked her immediately. It was obvious she made his father happy. He didn’t know of any other man who deserved happiness more than Jeremiah Montgomery. His Pop.
When Lyle heard that Logan and Claire were coming to visit Pop, he and Monique had decided to make the trip as well. So had Lance, Asia and the baby. That meant all the Montgomerys were there and accounted for. It was also pretty obvious that his brothers liked Thea as much as he and Carrie did. Lance had mentioned at breakfast that he’d never seen their father smile so much, and Lance was right. Since both Claire and Thea had degrees in education, they had a lot to talk about and were already forming a close relationship.
No one was surprised when Pop and Thea announced their plans to marry. They were planning a Christmas wedding with all the family present in Gary. They also announced their decision to put up both of their individual homes for rent and buy a new home in one of those up and coming senior communities that catered to the over sixty-crowd. They had better things to do than spend their time and money repairing older homes. They wanted to travel and the first place on their list was Germany. Logan couldn’t wait for them to meet Asia and Claire’s mother and stepfather, who’d also caught the travel bug.
Logan was happy for his father and Thea. The only sad note was getting the news last week that their mother Edwina had been arrested by the FBI. She’d been posing as a truck driver and had been caught hauling stolen goods across state lines. Although they’d severed ties with her a few years ago, they were still somewhat surprised she hadn’t reached out to them, asking for help. If she was found guilty, she could be facing twenty years in prison. As far as they were concerned, she would finally find out that crime did not pay. They also figured that she understood that finding out what she’d put Carrie through had been the final straw for the Montgomery men. They were done with her. Edwina Montgomery’s offspring were better off without her in their lives.
Logan glanced across the room at Claire who was talking to a very pregnant Carrie. Instead of returning in two days like they’d threatened, Lance, Asia and the baby hadn’t come back until four days later. That had given Logan and Claire even more private time together for walks on the beach, playtime in bed and a lot of serious conversation.
Claire’s boss had given her the extra time in the States as she’d requested and when they had left Paradise, they had gone to his home in Tampa. He was glad she loved his place, which would eventually become her home. Already, she had submitted her resume to the universities in the Tampa area.
Logan stood and beckoned Claire to his side. He whistled and everyone turned to look at him. “Now that I have all of your attention, and we’ve congratulated Dad and Thea on their upcoming marriage over the holidays, now you can congratulate me and Claire on ours. We’re getting married in May.”
Cheers and clapping filled the room. The Montgomery family’s happiness was complete. Jeremiah would have three happily married sons, a very happily married daughter, and he would be a happily married man.
At long last, all was well in the Montgomery family. It might have taken years, but it had been well worth the wait.