Sara was silent as she considered the points her mother made. Would David insist on marriage before she was ready? No, she didn't think so, he seemed to have infinite patience, and he was very sensitive to her feelings. Actually, they hadn't ever discussed marriage, although she knew the subject would have to come up eventually. And what about babies? He was older; would he want babies when she was ready? Maybe he wouldn't want to go through all that again. And what about his daughter? She hadn't really thought about Katie. Oh dear ...well ... they'd work it all out. She hoped.
"Oh Mom, why do you always have to be so...so practical? David and I just want to be together. We're good for each other, and that's what's important. Everything else will work out one way or another. Please don't worry."
Edith got up, supporting her weight on the table. She looked into her daughter's pleading eyes, and opened her arms invitingly. Sara rushed into their comforting warmth, and Edith said softly, "Well dear, you're a grown woman now, so if you think it's right for you to go live with David, then I give you my blessing."
Sara gave her mother a squeeze, and whispered, "Thank you."
Mother and daughter broke apart, each wiping at their eyes.
"What do you think Daddy will say?"
"Hmmf. Now that's a silly question. You know you father will support any decision you make."
"Yeah, I guess he always did spoil me a little."
"Huh! A little?!"
Sara giggled.
"And speaking of your father, he called a while ago. Said he was pretty busy and wondered if you planned on coming in today." She chuckled. "I'm afraid you've already made yourself indispensable to him ever since you talked him into getting that computer."
"Yes, I think he's scared to death of it. He calls it 'that damned machine'. But really Mom, his inventory was a mess!"
"To you maybe, but I guarantee your father knew where every nut and bolt in the place was."
"Well, if I'm going to take over some day, I've got to establish a system that I can use." replied Sara. She winked at her mother, and then kissed her good-bye before going into town to save her father from that 'damned machine'.
In the weeks that followed, David and Sara learned that they lived quite well together. He had given her a budget, but basically she had free rein on furnishing the house, and she was having a great time picking out curtains, rugs, and furniture. She had decided to do the living room in Early American-quaint, but not too fussy. For the den she chose masculine earth tones. She'd found an antique desk during one of their weekly rounds of the antique shops and auctions. It was sturdily built of darkly stained walnut, accented with shiny brass knobs on the drawers (at least now they were shiny after some work). At another shop she'd found the perfect chair to go with the desk and had it re-covered with deep chestnut brown leather. She planned to talk to David about buying a divan covered in the same rich leather, and since the hardwood floor was simply too beautiful to cover with wall-to-wall covering, she hoped to find a reasonably priced Persian rug for the center of the room.