Dinner with Connie

On June 10^th, 2018, I received a text message from one of my granddaughters asking if I could meet her for dinner the next evening at a local restaurant. Connie Elizabeth, named after me and a special friend of her mother’s, mentioned nothing else in her message, but I did not think it was anything out of the ordinary. Her husband is a Jacksonville fire fighter and remains overnight at his fire station, sometimes several nights in a row. So I assumed this was one of those nights, and Connie thought it was a good time to get together, just us girls.

Connie and Clark were married in 2013 and in 2014 they bought a home a few miles east of High Springs, about twenty miles from where I live near Gainesville. Their house is on a beautiful historic road named Old Bellamy Road, which was part of a lengthy highway built across Florida in the 1820s linking Pensacola and St. Augustine, a road suitable for horse-drawn carriages. This part, named after the contractor, John Bellamy, follows Native American and Spanish Missionary trails, and today it is a beautiful drive, winding, hilly, and under lovely overhanging oaks filled with Spanish moss. Old falling-down farm buildings and sheds dot the landscape and call out for exploration. Modern residences are limited and usually on substantial acreage to further enhance the feeling of time travel as one passes through secluded ancient forests.

Connie’s mom was a nurse so it was natural that she leaned toward some sort of medical career. That came to fruition shortly before her marriage, and she continues to love her position as a radiation therapist. She’s a caring person, level-headed, a planner, and a good organizer. Recently, she was promoted to a supervisory position.

After Clark and Connie were married, naturally the families hoped for a baby sometime in the near future. Instead, for their first Christmas together in their new home, they adopted a puppy, a solid black Lab whom they named Bowden after the former Seminole Coach Bobby Bowden. Yes, they are Seminole fans in the midst of Gator Country. Bowden has grown into a beautiful silky black animal, well-behaved and friendly. Still waiting for babies, the following Christmas brought another addition to the family. Yes, another puppy, a friend for Bowden, a Dalmatian whom they named Renegade. I think there may be a pattern here. Renegade is now almost full-grown and as one would expect from their names, they get along well with each other and are almost never separated.

After Renegade, the families expected there might be another puppy the next Christmas, but Connie and Clark had decided they were a two-puppy family and there were no more. For the next couple of years at family gatherings someone would throw out the subtle hint of a bun in the oven, but Connie or Clark would give a slight shrug of their shoulders and change the subject. Maybe being a great grandmother was not in the cards for me.

So as I made my way to the restaurant the next evening, baby news was not on my mind. Connie was a little late since she was coming from work, and I filled my time making up stories about other patrons, a habit of mine. Very few people go to restaurants alone, I noticed, and when there is a single person, the tone of the hostess seemed to me a little biased, as though a single person was not worth as much consideration as a couple or a crowd. My husband passed away in 2012, and I have been the recipient of this particular attitude once or twice although it may just be my imagination.

Connie arrived, apologized for being late, we hugged, chatted awhile to catch up, and scanned the menu. After the waiter took our order, Connie began searching through her purse while animatedly talking about her day at work.

Then she said, “And look at what I got at my doctor’s appointment today.”

She handed over a couple of small sheets of what at first looked like credit card receipts, that kind of paper. Then I realized I was looking at a baby on an ultrasound report! I looked up at Connie and she was glowing. I could almost see the light radiating from her. Tears of happiness filled my eyes and we hugged again and just held hands. Although there was no need, she told me how happy and excited she and Clark are. The baby is due on January 3^rd, 2019, maybe a New Year’s baby.

Although good stories should have an ending, this one does not. Connie is doing well, sporting a pretty good-sized baby bump at the time of this writing. A new life has revitalized my life, and now I look forward to the future with my great grandchild, happy for however long I am allowed to be a part of it.