Now that everything is back to normal and with all of us busy, the time flies by. All four guys pile in on us for a week at the end of the summer session to my great delight. It's good seeing them become kids at the beach once more.
Luc and Stephan leave to spend the following week with Stephan's parents. Though both Mike and Tommy grumble about having to go back to work, this time it's good natured grumbling. Mike tells us he's enjoying teaching more than he thought he would, and Tommy surprises both Tor and me with the maturity he seems to have gained in two and a half months. Dave and Martha also comment on it when we're there for dinner one evening a few weeks later.
"Tommy has grown up far faster than I would have thought possible," Martha says.
"Why do you say that?" Tor asks.
"He was so tightly self-controlled when you brought him home, then he reverted into the childhood he'd mostly missed. I had expected him to remain more dependent on you and Drew for a while."
"I think a lot of it has come from his working for Paul Ashford. I suspect he's pulled Tommy up short once or twice, but it may also be the responsibility he's given Tommy."
"I agree, Drew. I don't know Ashford that well, but he seems a stickler for protocol. I doubt he lets anyone get away with much," Dave says.
"That he wouldn't," Tor says, "but he's a fine man. He's the reason Tommy got his degree and the job, and Tommy knows it. He's trying hard to show Paul he didn't make a mistake by giving him the position."
"I hope Tommy doesn't overdo it. He's gotten so serious," Martha adds.
I have to chuckle. "The way he and Mike both acted during the break made me think they hadn't grown up at all."
"Good. Are he and Andrea still dating?"
"Yes, and being mature about it. Both of them seem to know what they want."
"Is her mother as dreadful as ever?"
I sigh. "I'm afraid so. She's not happy about Tommy because of us, but Henry is apparently determined to give the kids a chance. He's a fine man."
"Thank God Andrea takes after him."
"If they get married after Andrea finishes school as they plan, it's going to be interesting," Tor says.
"No doubt. That's one wedding I don't want to miss."
Mike comes home for Thanksgiving, while Tommy goes to Andrea's. Then before we know it, it's Christmas break. Both Mike and Tommy are home, so we follow our traditional mode of celebration. The second day after Christmas Tommy borrows Tor's master key and takes Mike over to the institute. They spend a couple of days organizing the small library for Dave.
A few evenings later we have Dave and Martha over for drinks. During the conversation Dave says, "I really appreciate the boys getting the library back in shape for us." Then he gives us an embarrassed chuckle. "Tommy gave me hell for letting the staff take books and leave them all over the place. You're the worst, Tor, so you'd better shape up or I'll tell Tommy who it was."
Tor almost chokes on his drink. "Won't be anything new. He's already crawled Drew and me about it here."
"No wonder Ashford put him in archives. With Tommy in charge, I'll bet use of them has fallen by half."
"I wouldn't touch that bet with a ten foot pole." Tor replies.
A few days before spring break, Tommy calls and says he's bringing Andrea home with him for two days, then they'll spend the rest of the break with her parents. I'm curious as to how he's managing to get Andrea here without creating a firestorm from her mother.
When they arrive, he tells me Henry has told Margaret the break is shorter this year. But the real surprise, though it shouldn't be, comes at dinner when Andrea holds out her left hand for us to see a small diamond solitaire. "Isn't it beautiful?"
Mike has known, for he's grinning.
"Congratulations," Tor says.
"When's the big event?" I ask.
"We're planning on Saturday, June 15th. That'll give me four weeks after graduation to get everything ready."
"That's very little time," Tor says.
"Oh, we're telling mother and daddy when we get home. Tom and I have a lot of it worked out already, but mother will have to get her two cents in." She grins. "Probably a whole dollar."
A thought hits me. "Where will you be living?"
"Andrea's already put in an application at the elementary school the U runs for the children of students. If she gets it, we'll be living in the flat," Tommy informs us.
Mike breaks in before I can ask. "I've already got my name in for a studio flat in the same building. The manager said he has one coming up the first of June. He pushed my name to the top of the list."
"You're damn lucky."
"Yeah. I found out what kind of booze he likes and sent him a bottle." Mike grins. "A big one."
"Good thought."
"Yeah. There's only one thing though."
"What?" Tor asks.
Mike walks over to Tommy and puts his arm around him. "It's going to be awfully lonely without Big Chief there."
"What lonely, Anglo? We maybe two floors apart. I see you lots."
"Like when Andrea kicks your ass out for giving her a hard time?"
Tommy grabs a pillow off the sofa and swats Mike with it. "Indian of same tribe live in peace, no fight. You be good Anglo and maybe we feed you once in a while so you no get skinny."
"Be sure you no get fat, redskin."
By now Andrea's laughing as hard as Tor and I. I'm glad she's learned to take these two in stride.
From Mike's expression when Tommy and Andrea leave, I know he's going to take the split between him and Tommy pretty hard. I'm sorry for that, but I'm glad they love each other so much.
That evening we get a call from Henry. "I hear we're going to be in-laws, and I couldn't be happier. Tommy's a fine man."
"Thanks, Henry," Tor says from the other phone. "Andrea's a lovely young woman. I know she and Tommy will be happy together."
Henry chuckles. "If I can keep Margaret out of it."
"If I may ask, do I hear someone screaming?" I can hear it plainly in the background.
Henry laughs. "That's Margaret having hysterics because two months isn't enough time to plan a wedding. If she had her way, it would take two years and be bigger than a damn coronation. Thank God, Andrea and Tommy know what they want and have most of it worked out. I'm backing the kids all the way."
"If there's anything we can do … ,"Tor starts to say.
"Just lay low until the big day. With Margaret there, I imagine the rehearsal will provide all the excitement you'll need. I'm reserving rooms at the Hyatt for all the wedding party. It's not far from the church."
The school year is over before we know it. Mike brings Luc and Stephan home with him for a few days. Tommy is working, saving his vacation time for the wedding and honeymoon. When the boys leave, Tor and I turn our attention to the upcoming event.
Some wedding this is going to be! Tor and I ask Tommy to have Mike be his best man, but he insists, quite in the face of convention, that Tor and I will both be his best men, because Andrea has asked Mike to play. Tommy has asked Stephan and Luc to be his groomsmen and insists on having Eric co-preside with Andrea's minister. With one man being a liberal and the other ultra conservative, it should be like trying to mix oil and water, though I know Eric will charm his way through. I just thank God that Andrea's mother and their preacher have no idea that Andrea has already started taking instruction from Eric with the intent to convert. Andrea tells us she's very happy with Tommy's choices and that Carol will be her maid of honor. She will also have two bridesmaids.
Henry patiently keeps Tor and me informed of the further plans. He tells us that Andrea remains adamant that the wedding will go as she has planned it, leaving her mother gnashing her teeth and succumbing to frequent migraines. He laughs when he tells us Margaret refuses to mention our names or those of the groomsmen. It becomes a running joke between the three of us.
Apparently the only thing that pleases Andrea's mother is the planned presence of Dave and Martha as Tommy's godparents. Martha tells me she's had a note from her insisting they be in the reception line at the wedding reception, the only possible reason being the prestige of having as many people as possible to introduce as Doctor to her friends. She winks at me and says that if Tommy didn't have his PhD this wedding probably wouldn't be taking place.
A plus for our side is that the wedding and reception are both to be held in a huge Baptist church, so there will be no dancing at the reception. But it also means no liquor and I'm going to need a stiff one before this is all over, probably even before. The real hell is going to be getting Tor into a tux.