More Than A Woman

Chapter 12

       Holding You Close To My Heart

Jonathan David Adams rang the doorbell of a house with his one year old daughter, Rose in his arms. He kept his attire formal, a white shirt along with black pants and a coat that he kept in his hands instead of wearing it.

The door opened to reveal a man with grey hair, moderately wrinkled face and with glasses in front of his eyes. “Jonathan Adams, come in.” He spoke in a voice deeper than Jonathan remembered.

Trudy’s father was a man of vain. He carried his pride like he wore his formal suits before presenting every case in the court.

“What’s her name?”

“Rose Segall Adams.”

The man eyed the little child who held her father holding his shoulders, scooped up in one arm of his. “You gave her Trudy’s name too?”

“She’s her child too.”

“Take a seat, son.”Jonathan sat on one of the lavish sofas in the living room of the astonishing house of Attorney Anthony Segall. He looked around at the walls of the house, filled with paintings and exclusive items on top of furniture.

“You have changed from the young man I had seen years back.”He stated, pouring himself and Jonathan two glasses of red wine.

“How do you feel being a grandfather, sir?”

The man smiled as he sipped from the glass. “I can see a lot of you in her. Rose is a father’s daughter.”Jonathan kissed Rose’s temple as she giggled in his arms.

“Do you mind if I hold her for a second?”

“Sure.” Anthony took the young girl in his arms lightly placing her on one like Jonathan did and was quickly enamoured by her charisma. He was reminded of Trudy’s childhood in an instant.

“Actually, she looks like my daughter too.”The grandfather bounced Rose lightly earning squeals from her. She had gladly accepted his arms without crying or creating a fuss.

“She does.”Jonathan replied.

“I apologize for that day. I should have been there with her.” He expresses, “I missed the last opportunity to see my Trudy.”

“She had asked me about you before she gave birth.”

Jonathan saw the man who held his dignity slowly stripping himself off his pride with an apology. It was the unexpected.

“She was young when she chose to marry you. I refused because I thought she deserved more. I also owe you an apology for this as I thought low of you, thought you were weak and whimsical back in the day. But you proved me wrong.”

Jonathan couldn’t speak. He couldn’t let out a word so he kept listening to the man.

“I had seen a boy before and today I see a man. A man serving his nation as a pilot to the US air force. I always believed that you made an irrational decision to be a pilot. I judged you from what I had seen in you once but I never knew you. My daughter saw the good in you and she believed it. She is a better judge of character than me.”He kept the glass on the table, beside the ash tray.

“You refused to walk her down the aisle on our wedding.”

“Can’t have more regrets.” Anthony said, “But I refused to let you marry her before.”

“I told her that your did not give you approval in our marriage.” Jonathan answered flatly. “I wanted to wait till your affirmation.”

“But she had chosen you over me. She made the right choice.”Anthony confessed, “I wish I could see her one last time.”

“She never stopped loving you Sir. Trudy always held immense respect for you.” The lawyer glanced down at the glass of wine he had poured for himself, growing vulnerable to the old memories kept safe in his mind.

“Daddy…”A frail attempt of Rose at calling his father but it was the sweetest sound in the whole world for Jonathan.

“I think she has gotten bored of me. You have her.”The grandfather gave the little girl back into the hands of her father.

Jonathan gave the bunch of lilies he had with himself to Anthony. “I loved your daughter. And there will be no one but her in my life."

“You brought me flowers?”

“For Mrs. Segall and you.”

“What do you mean?”Anthony was confused.

“Both of you gave Trudy a life to live. I am thankful for that. I wouldn’t have had her for myself if it weren’t for you and her. And, I wouldn’t have had my Rose if she hadn’t been by my side.”

“Her mom would have been proud if she had been alive today.”He said the truth that his heart told him. “I know that she would have loved you.”

“I thought you both as kids infatuated by the air of romance. And a part of me was always afraid of letting her go. She was my family after Jane’s death. I thought Trudy was a just a girl, a woman-”The lawyer was intervened.

“She was always more than a woman to me. From the very first day I had met her, till today.” The lawyer rested the case with a smile and Jonathan ended, “She’s the best wife and a mother.”
                                                    
                        ~THE END~