Engagement

Some days are more memorable than others.  There are always reasons why.  On January the 12th I remembered as I do every year that Mervs mother Audrey would have celebrated her birthday if she was alive.  I remember her well.  She was difficult.  Not a mother in law that anyone would like to have.  She became less arrogant as she aged and was often dependent on others instead of fiercely independent.  Before she died she allowed me to bring her to the Lord.  Some people wait until such a time.
I knew she had gone before the hospital rang.  It was early on a cold winters morning as a light blazed through our bedroom window and the sound of a train thundered.  I said to myself she had gone.  I just knew.  I put on the kettle and waited for the call which came fifteen minutes later.
Audrey donated her body to science and therefore there was no structured funeral.  Merv, the children and myself held a memorial for her in a local park and then went to the river to throw in rose buds.  When I turned to look at the car I saw Audrey standing there in her red jacket. She had been in a wheelchair for sometime and I hadn't expected to ever see her stand again.  Her vision faded as we approached the car. Six months later on the 12th January 2005 I picked up her watch which I had kept and noticed it had stopped.  I wore another watch and a couple of days later I picked it up and put it in my handbag before it handing it over to the watchmaker.  He asked me what was wrong with it.  I looked for the first time in days at the watch, it was working perfectly.  Audrey was just reminding us to remember her on her birthday.  I haven't heard from her since.
This year as always I thought of her on her birthday.  In the afternoon, just an ordinary afternoon Mel rang and told me she is engaged.  Damien had proposed to her at her friend's house and of course she had been thrilled and said yes.  As for me, shock was my only response!  I hadn't expected that quite so soon.  They have been dating only six months.
I smiled to myself, Mel was always a favourite with Audrey.  Now I will remember Audrey's birthday  and Mel's engagement on January 12th each year!

I know Damien cares for Mel.  I have seen it with my own eyes.  It is lovely to behold.  Just like Mel he has a number of issues, many need a little tweaking.  Tweaking is good.  Solutions we may never quite achieve but helping the happy couple achieve a happy life together by a little tweaking is worth the effort.  Stay tuned....

The Happy Couple