Sorting Through Life's Puzzle Pieces

Epilogue

"No, sorry. Those all got left at home." He gave a charming, apologetic smile.

"How are we supposed to see how beautiful your bride she was if you didn't bring anything?" Someone yelled that comment from way in the back and Maeve felt a twinge of annoyance at the slight invasiveness, but she understood where it came from. No matter how much people liked or disliked a celebrity, they loved to see weddings of them.

"Well, you see, there is another time, that I will never be able to erase from my memory that puts our wedding day to shame." What the hell is he saying now!? Maeve inched forward on the sofa and found herself listening just as intently as the audience.

"Awww, " several women sighed out.

"Wow, okay. So if Maeve wasn't the picture of perfection on her wedding day, what do you see when you look at her or think of her? What is this image that always comes to the forfront of your mind.?"

Tom blushed more and , leaning in, he got candid with Ellen. On live television. "You should know, she has no idea that I saw this and i can honestly tell you, I had no intention of sharing it with her. I was keeping it just for me."

"I'm not going to get you into trouble, am i? Portia warned me before I came to work today." Ellen always spoke so fondly of her wife, it was no surprise to Mae that she was so comfortable mentioning her to TOm. 

"Dear god, i hope not,"he took a deep breath. "The image of her that always dazzles me, the one that she has never been able to top is from the day we met. She doesn't share about her time in Guinea with very many people, it's something very close and treasured in her heart. She reads to the children on vaccination days. By extension, the adults, too and they all love her for it. You can see it on their faces and how she interacts with them. I knew that I at least had to meet her or I would regret it for the rest of my life."

"How'd that go for ya? It seems she put up a pretty good front." There was small laughter, even from Tom, but Maeve was wracking her brain trying to figure out what in the hell he was recalling that she didn't know about.

"Oh, my Angel is as stubborn as they come, but what really did it for me was the size of her heart. You see, not very many at the medical center knew this, but before going for her morning runs, she would sneak over to the nursery and read to the mothers and babies there. The same book she she was reading to the children at vaccination and in the school house. I happened to come by that morning, before anyone was up, and heard her reading. She spoke so softly and all the mothers with early risers were rocking on their feet or in chairs while she spoke. I just hung back, feeling it was too intimate to disturb."

"Yeah, I'm sure it's an uncomfortable thing to enter a space where women are nursing." A few men made sounds of agreement, but Tom disagreed.

"It's not the nature of the nursery that I felt was intimate, it was the atmosphere of peace and calmness she was bringing to these ailing infants and their exhausted mothers. One, his mother had not been their, she picked him right up and continued on in that soft, early morning tone she was using and continued on while feeding him. Like nothing was happening. I had never seen a more beautiful sight. And now I'm sure she is in the back sobbing that I shared this."

"Well, it's very touching. So, just like that, you wanted to marry her?"

"Oh no, in fact she blew me off as soon as I introduced myself. It took me until the week before we left to even get her to agree to a date, let alone marry me."

"Wow, when you raise the bar you blow it out of the atmosphere. Okay, Let's talk about Dr. Who What brought that on?"

"Besides always wanting to do it, I wanted to take the time to be there for my family. She means the world to me and Mae is far more important than broadening my film career. I can still do stage while i work with Moffat and be able to stay home in London. You see, Mae is a very domestic person and she can't just drop everything at the drop of a hat to join me, she has commitments to keep before being able to pack up and leave."

"That's very considerate of you. Well, we are out of time today. Hopefully we can have you back again soon."

"I would be delighted. Maybe I can bring the whole family with me by then."

"Wait, are you guys? T-"

"Bye everybody! Ellen it's been lovely." Tom interrupted Ellen before she could ask about his wording. He knew Mae would never forgive him if he made an announcement like that, on national television, before she had had a chance to tell her mom. This was one thing he simply could not share.

As soon as he opened the door to the green room, he was landed upon by a giant penguin that was his wife and he kissed her back just as thoroughly. When he came up for air, he had to pull away. "WHat brought this on all of a sudden?"

"You just made me realize that I don't ever tell you or show enough that i love you."

"Oh, Angel. I think you a bearing evidence of that just fine. Now come on. Luke has a car waiting to get you to the airport so that you can make your flight."

"Right, before she calls me asking what got cut off."

"I'll see you in two day, darling. Let me know if i need to bring a peace offering?"

"Of course. It would be just one more piece of the puzzle to stick in it's place."