Home again

"We made it." Betty did her best to smile. She was back from Florida with her friend Doris.

Tiffany and Gordy were there at the airport to pick them up. It was good to see her oldest daughter, Tiffany, pregnant and happy. She gave her a hug, thankful to see her. Of course, Tiffany was still standoffish but she was coming around with more smiles, a lot like her husband's.

"Anything, exciting happen?" Tiffany was waiting for little surprises.

"Nope." Betty thought she best keep it to herself. Yes, there were the little surprises, like holding Ed's hand while they walked down the breezy beach on holiday.

They'd talked so much, but she was certain it could all change in a second. She knew he'd never really had a family. He didn't think he was worthy of her.

She'd snapped back, told him that was just an excuse. Life was short and he couldn't make the most of it stewing in his own self-pity. Yes, they'd fussed just as much as having a good time taking in the sunsets on the beach.

But she wasn't going to hold her breath about anything. He was still here by her side. She just wished he liked himself more.

She thought he would have been disgustingly proud of himself and be too in love with himself, but that wasn't really the case.

She'd told him he reminded her so much of one of her daughter's friend. But she didn't tell him that she thought Omaha was his brother. In the end, she told Ed she'd be his family.

"What? Are you going to adopt me, too?" Ed laughed. Betty loved his smile and his laugh too.

"Should I?" She smiled back in the memory on the beach that was now on rewind in her head, even as she stared at her daughter at the airport.

Betty wondered if she'd just asked Ed to marry her. But then again, she found that good-looking stranger rather dense.