Call Me Theo

Saturday, December 22nd, 1973

“I can’t believe this will be our sixth Christmas without Danny,” June said as she looked out of the wide picture window.

Behind her, the television muttered, the sound now turned down. The skies outside had grown progressively overcast throughout the day. The weatherman on WDAF-TV was predicting more than three inches.

It had been an overcast day like this one when they had learned the terrible news. Six months after Danny had been drafted, he had perished in the fighting outside of Khe Sanh on Valentine’s Day 1968.

“It looks as if it will start snowing any minute. When will they get here?”

“Mom, for goodness sake, looking out the window won’t make them get here any sooner.” Betty said, jiggling the baby in her arms. Junior, Dean’s namesake, was teething and quite cranky. Betty had cut her hair short last week, but it wasn’t short enough. The natural curls of her blond hair, inherited from June, were an undeniable attraction for Junior. He reached out and yanked, hard.

“Ow!” Betty snapped, and the baby started to cry. “Jasper, take him for a little while, would you?”

Her husband took the baby, a dissatisfied look on his face. The rest of the family ignored him. Dean fought down a wave of frustration with his son-in-law.

“He’s on my last nerve,” he had confided to June the night before. “His writing is beyond terrible. He seems to think that everyone is deluded, and that we can’t see his true genius.”

“Perhaps he needs a good editor,” June suggested, smothering a laugh.

“Editor? Hell, he needs to hire a ghostwriter!” Dean had scoffed.

Jasper’s uncle was none other than the well-regarded J.D. Salinger. And while J.D.’s book Catcher in the Rye had been a runaway success when it was published, Jasper’s dreams of literary magnificence were far from being realized. 

Jasper seemed convinced that writing was an inherited talent and continued to deluge first his uncle, and now Dean, with manuscripts so awful Dean had a difficult time being kind.

June interrupted Dean’s musings, “I’m worried, that’s all. Sarah said she would be here by three and it’s almost two now.”

“Yes, almost two, she’s not even late.” Betty went over and hugged her. “You worry too much. She’s fine. She’s driving here with her boyfriend.”

Junior struggled in his father’s arms, his face screwed up, reddening, and an epic screaming fit mere seconds away.

June harrumphed, “Boyfriend, yes, I’ve heard.” June’s tone was frosty, disapproving.

Jasper jiggled the baby, his face twitching at the effort to hide his own frustration.

He had plenty to be frustrated over, Dean mused, the editor at the paper where Jasper worked kept refusing his proposed articles. Dean had gotten Jasper the job with an old friend, James Ford, a former classmate at William Jewell who had worked his way up from copy editor to head honcho.

James had called Dean the week before. “The kid hasn’t got a lick of talent, Dean, he’s in the wrong field.” James had sighed, “Apparently the ability to write is not genetic. And from what I’ve seen, he’s unwilling to learn. I’m going to have to let him go if things don’t turn around soon. Perhaps you can talk to him, convince him that he would do better somewhere else. I know he’s a family man, but I can’t keep paying for someone who isn’t pulling their weight.”

Dean had thanked him, got off the phone and shook his head. Betty had sure had her head in the clouds marrying this one. But with a baby in the picture, divorce wasn’t so simple.

The baby started wailing. Jasper looked at his wife, who ignored him. Dean suppressed a grimace.

Apparently the shine is off the rose.

Or as Scotty had commented after flying in for the baptism, “Dino, that boy is a fat-head, you shoulda seen the drivel he sent me last month. I think he’s got it in his head that writing is like pennies from heaven. But damnitall, if he sends me more of that shit, I’m gonna tell him it’s below my pay grade. When is Betty gonna wise up?”

Dean had shook his head, “I think it is far too late for that now, Scotty.”

From the look on his wife’s face, he had to wonder if she wasn’t thinking the same thing.

“I just don’t see why you are all in a dither right now, Mom.”

“Your mother is worried Sarah won’t finish her studies,” Dean said to Betty, ignoring the angry screams of his namesake.

“Well, she wouldn’t be the first one,” June said, casting a glance at Betty. She had dropped out after the first two years, having achieved her “Mrs. Degree” and was now working as a waitress, supporting Jasper and the baby, while her husband stared at the dingy white walls of their cramped apartment and waited for the writing muse to magically descend.

That was how Betty had described it, bitterly, a few days earlier.

“Thanks, Mother.” Betty sighed heavily. Junior continued to scream in Jasper’s arms.

“Hand that boy over to me, Jasper,” Dean said, holding out his arms. He tried not to think about his first grandchild alone with his son-in-law in the cheap apartment south on Benton while Betty worked at the diner. Jasper, relief written all over his face, handed the baby over. Junior calmed, his sobs subsiding into hiccups that rocked his small body. Dean reached for a teething toy, settling it in his grandson’s hands while tucking his warm, tiny body into the crook of his arm. He leaned back, rocking contentedly.

“He adores you, Dad.” Betty said, smiling for the first time that day.

Dean reached down and tickled his grandson, “And I adore him.” If only I could say the same for your daddy, Little Man.

“Oh, I think I see her little car! Thank goodness! I was worried the weather would turn bad.” June turned from the window, her mouth in a small frown, “I wonder if she drove the speed limit?”

“Oh for crying out loud, Mom.” Betty groaned. “First you worried over her not getting here before the snow, and now you think she might have been speeding. Is there no middle ground?”

June looked affronted, “Betty, I worry for good reason, one of the biggest killers of people is car crashes. And this family has had their share of bad luck, if you ask me.”

Dean levered his way out of his easy chair, the baby contentedly gnawing on a toy, his chin wet with drool. He looked the spitting image of his mother, and Dean was thankful for that. He stared out of the big picture window that overlooked the driveway, a happy smile on his face. He had missed his youngest child far more than he was willing to admit.

As if on cue, the sky began to spit out huge fat flakes of snow. The cream-colored Volkswagen Bug pulled into the already full driveway. Sarah’s lithesome figure and blond hair were hidden under a knit cap and large woolen coat.

She clambered out of the driver’s seat. On the passenger side, a tall young man, carefully unfolded himself. He was far too tall to be riding in such a small car, and Dean suppressed a smile at the thought of him crammed into the silly thing for the several hundred mile trip.

Why do kids want those silly little cars, anyway?

The snow had gone from nonexistent to a heavy flurry of activity in less than a minute. The weatherman had said it was going to be a doozy, and it looked as if he was right for once.

“What was the boy’s name again?” Dean asked.

“He’s not a ‘boy’ Dad, he’s a good five years older than her.” Betty admonished.

“Is he a slow learner?”

“What?”

“He’s still in college at the age of twenty-three, so he’s got to be slow.”

Dean said it to needle Betty who had already jumped to the defense of her little sister’s boyfriend and also so he could get a reaction out of Jasper, who had gone for five years and still not graduated.

Perhaps less partying or attending peace marches and more time paying attention to teachers might have helped.

“Dad! He’s a graduate student!”

“Dean,” June warned, “you be nice.”

“I’m always nice, dear.” Dean replied, smiling cheerfully. June rolled her eyes and tried to smother a smile.

The front door flew open and Sarah burst in, “Oh my gosh, that snow, it could have waited just five more minutes before turning into an avalanche, don’t you think?”

One bag was slung over her shoulder, and her crayon-blue eyes sparkled above rosy-pink cheeks. Behind her stood a tall young man, over six feet, loaded down with bags filled with presents and his own suitcase.

Dean took one look at him and felt as if the world had fallen away.

“Oh wow, everyone, I see the family has gathered en masse. Teddy, don’t you dare let them intimidate you.” Sarah reached out and hugged her sister, “Hey Sis!”

A flurry of hugs ensued and Dean stood there, saying nothing. No one noticed, except for the tall man with black hair and brilliant blue eyes, who stared back at Dean in between introductions and hugs.

Dean could not believe his eyes. After looking for so long, in every possible way he could think of, here he was. All grown up, towering over them all.

“Dad? Hey Dad?” Sarah’s fingers snapped in front of his face, startling him. Her face was puzzled, and beyond her Dean could see June frowning in concern. “Are you okay? You are a million miles away!”

Dean came back from the long-buried memories of the past, and smiled as he looked into his youngest child’s eyes. “Hey Sweetheart,” he pulled her into a tight hug, Junior squirming as he was suddenly squashed between them. “I sure have missed you.”

She smelled of patchouli. “I missed you too, Dad."

Dean held his hand out, “Teddy, is it?”

“That’s Sarah’s nickname for me,” the young man said, grinning, “You can call me Theo. I grew up just south of here, in the town of Raymore.”

There was no recognition in his face for Dean. It was clear that Teddy, scratch that, he said his name was Theo, had no memory of ever meeting him. But then again, he wouldn’t would he?

“Really? So you have family in the area, then?” Dean asked, hope rising.

Theo shook his head, “Not anymore sir, no. Well, a cousin, twice removed, Bearl Dean. He owns a farm and I lived there with Cousin Bearl and his wife Maxine after my mom passed away.”

Dean’s heart thumped in his chest, hope crashing at the young man’s words. Maggie was gone then.

“For goodness sake, Dean, move out of the way, and let these two inside, the snow is getting inside the house!” June shooed Dean back.

She ushered Theo and Sarah inside and closed the door to the snowstorm outside before turning her sights on her youngest child’s boyfriend.

“Well, we are so glad you are here Theo! We can put you up in the guest room upstairs on the left.” Sarah and Theo looked at each other, and there was a bright flash as Sarah pulled off her gloves.

Betty shrieked, “Oh my God, Sarah!” She grabbed her sister’s left hand and stared at the ring on her finger.

“Sarah, what is this?” June stepped forward to examine the ring on her youngest child’s finger. She did not look happy.

“I’d give a guess and say that’s a wedding ring,” Dean offered dryly.

“Dean Edmonds, you are not helping,” his wife snapped. She stared into her daughter’s eyes, “Sarah, now would be a good time to tell me that this is an engagement ring.” She used the measured tone that mothers have when standing at the edge of the abyss. Sanity a thin, easily lost thing.

“Actually, Mrs. Edmonds, it is a wedding ring.” Theo said softly, “I didn’t have enough for both and what with time being an issue, we...”

“Why was time an issue, Sarah?” June’s voice held a barely disguised panic.

“Oh wow, shotgun wedding!” Jasper began to laugh.

Betty glared at him, “Shut up, Jasper.”

June’s face was a mixture of horror and fury. “Sarah Magdalene Edmonds...”

Dean handed Junior back to his son-in-law, “Here Jasper, make yourself useful for once.” He put a hand on Theo’s shoulder and an arm around Sarah and headed for the stairs, “June, please start dinner. I’m going to talk to these two in my office.”

June sputtered, “Dean, I...”

“Please my dear, let me handle this.”

Betty took her mother’s hand, “Come on Mom, I’ll help you.”

Minutes later, the door to the office firmly closed, Dean sat down behind his desk. “Well, that didn’t take long to come out.”

Sarah sat hunched in her seat, her face buried in her hands. “I had this planned so much better in my head. I swear, the front door wasn’t even all the way closed before the Inquisition started.”

Dean suppressed a smile. Theo watched him, uncertainty written on his handsome young face. Dean couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy run through him.

Of course they would have found each other.

The young man cleared his throat.

“Sir, I...”

“Considering you have married my daughter, I think you can call me Dean. Later, given time, we can graduate to ‘Dad.’”

“I...uh, yes sir, I mean, um, Dean. I imagine you find us impulsive, but I assure you, I have the best of intentions, and...”

“I suppose we should just cut to the chase, Theo,” Dean cut in. “Are your plans to return to school after the Christmas break, or stay here?”

“I've actually completed my Master’s in Education and I have already been offered a job at William Jewell College beginning with the winter semester.”

Dean sighed audibly, relieved. “I’m glad to hear it.” He stared at his daughter, who had sat up in her chair and was staring at him in surprise.

“You aren’t going to yell?” She asked, her tone hesitant.

“Would it do any good?”

“No, but...” her face crumpled, “I don’t want you to be disappointed in me, Daddy. I plan on going back after the baby is born, I promise.”

“I know you do, Sweetheart.”

“Mom looks really mad.”

Dean smiled. June had been nineteen when Danny was born. She had never gone back to college, and from her reaction it was obvious that there were regrets there.

“I imagine she is, but she will get over it. We all will. Go talk to her, try and work it out. I’ll keep Theo here for a few minutes so that she thinks he’s getting a stern talking to.”

“Oh Daddy, thank you for not being mad.”

Sarah jumped up, throwing her arms around him and kissing his cheek. He hugged her tight. She was still his little girl and Dean tried to wrap his mind around the image of a child growing inside of her.

Sarah wiped tears from her face, steeled herself, and gave Theo a quick hug before she left the office.

Dean turned to Theo, “Tell me about your family, Theo. You said you grew up here in the area?”

“Yes, sir, uh, Dean. I was born here in Kansas City, but my mother and I moved down to Belton when I was young, maybe four or five?”

“Really, why there?”

“My grandmother passed away. Mom was her only child so we moved down there and lived in her house. Well, at least until I was twelve.”

Dean knew that Theo was twelve years old on May 13th, 1962. Could that have been when Maggie passed? “What happened then?”

“My mother died in a car accident in May of 1962.” He gave a small shrug. “A truck came over into her lane and she didn’t have time to get out of the way.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that.” Dean said the words, his mind reeling. There would be no reunion with Maggie, no way to see if she carried the same memories he did. She was gone forever.

“It was hard. It was just the two of us, so I really missed her.”

“What happened then? Who did you go with?”

Theo smiled, “Just when I was about to be put into foster care, this guy showed up at my mom’s funeral. It turned out he was a distant cousin who lived there on the edge of Raymore, on a farm. He took me in until I came of age,” Theo answered. “Sir it might seem like I’m penniless and more, but I do still have a fair amount of money from my grandmother’s estate. It’s enough for us to get a decent start. My grandmother’s house was sold when my mother died, but Bearl and Maxine, they wouldn’t take anything for caring for me, so I was able to pay for college and even graduate school. I won’t be saddled with loans.”

“You have really thought things out,” Dean commented. “We could see about finding a nice starter house for you two nearby.”

“Actually, I have that covered as well,” Theo said. “The house my mom owned before my grandmother died. It isn’t far from here. She kept it and rented it out. It was occupied by tenants until last month. I held off on getting new ones until I would be back in the area and then, well, Sarah told me she was pregnant. So it worked out well. We can take it over and fix it up before the baby comes.”

Dean had a feeling he knew exactly where that house was.

“And when is the baby due?”

“The second week in July.”

Dean nodded, stood up from his desk and walked over to Theo. The young man stood and Dean pulled him into a hug. “Welcome to the family, Theo. It will take June a while to get used to it, but she’ll come around.”

Theo relaxed, “Thank you, sir.”