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Third Time’s The Charm

12/19/2025

Matt tossed in his bed, tears staining the pillow. Mom peeked in the door and withdrew quietly. She shook her head as she headed downstairs.

Bonnie was besieging Harry. “Did he get a ring or didn’t he?”

“No, he said we should come right home.” He cringed under Bonnie’s intensity.

Mom sat beside him and wrapped him in her arms. “What happened, honey? Did Gary say no?”

“No, he was overjoyed. He said Abby would be excited, and he blessed it entirely.”

Bonnie scowled. “So, what? Did Matty chicken out or something?”

“No.” Harry shook his head.

“Harry, tell us what happened? Why is Matt up there crying like that?”

He grabbed a tissue and blew hard. Sweeping tears from his eyes, he drew a deep breath and released it. “He… Matt said he was hoping for permission from Mrs. Light.” He sniffled. “That face.” He shook his head. “I’ve never seen a man shatter inside like that, Mom. There are some things a person should never have to see, and that’s one of them.”

Bonnie teared up and rested her head on Harry’s shoulder. Mom stroked his hair.

“You see…” He bit his lip and sniffled to gather courage. “Abby doesn’t have a mom. She died in childbirth.” He sobbed. “Never got to hold her own kid, Mom. She was gone before Abby was all the way out.” He put his arms around both of them and wept. “Gary was really kind about it, but you can tell it just broke him to talk about it. Poor Matt was so sad that he’d even brought it up. It was supposed to be a good thing, you know?”

“Of course it was, Harry. Matt was trying to do the right thing. We didn’t know about Abby’s mom. She could have been away on business or divorced even. There was no way of knowing. Shh…”

“Gary said yes?” Bonnie whispered.

“He said he blessed it, and he knew Abby would be overjoyed. He knows Matt’s a good guy.”

“Everybody knows that.” Bonnie whispered.

“It will be okay.” Mom held him tight. “It’s going to be alright, Harry.”

Gary was a shadow of himself as he completed his rounds. People could tell something was wrong, but they honored his silence and prayed for him.

He finished his day according to time-honored SOP, everything like clockwork.

Wandering into the Grab & Go, people parted to make space for him. He stood at the refrigerators, eyeing the Zaviccinos. ‘Third time’s the charm.’

He turned to the register. He didn’t recognize the cashier. It wasn’t the girl who’d worn his first Eggnog Zaviccino on her shoes and pant legs. He went and paid. The lady was cheerful, but made space for his obvious distress. He slid down the counter a bit and peeled the seal from the glass carafe. This one wouldn’t wind up a solid brick of eggnog coffee in his cupholder. This one he was going to drink.

To say it wasn’t worth the wait was the understatement of the year. He guzzled it because he was thirsty, because he’d missed out the first two times, because he needed something normal to hold on to after his discussion with Matt.

‘Ick, that aftertaste.’

Was that a sign?

Should he have blessed Matt for seeking permission?

Would there be an aftertaste from agreeing to that?

No, he couldn’t help it. He meant well.

People have moms.

It’s normal to ask both parents for their permission and blessing.

Tracy would have liked Matt.

He’s a stand-up guy.

He was missing because he didn’t know.

If he had, he would have jumped on it.

That’s the kind of guy Matt seems to be.

How could he know? They’ve just met.

‘What have I done?’

“Excuse me.”

Gary looked for the voice.

A woman was trying to get to the gift card spinner he was parked in front of with his empty bottle of awful aftertaste.

“Sorry.” He dropped the lid and bottle into a trashcan and headed back to the refrigerator.

He studied the flavors. Regular sodas had Santa, ornaments, trees, holiday swirls on them. He noticed some holiday variants. Jet Pop had a cinnamon ginger ale. FizzCola had a sugar cookie flavor. Treatwell had the usual variety, but their Golden Ginger soda. It was stronger than regular ginger ales, so he considered it holiday enough for his purposes. “Marzipan Melody?” Beach Bubbles had thrown him a curve. The purveyor of salt water taffy flavored sodas had this almond paste holiday treat. ‘That’s either ingenious or every bit as bad as the Eggnog Zaviccino.’ He was running out of arm space, but he saw the CocoMint Zaviccino. ‘At least I know I like that kind, and it’s kind of Christmassy.’ He plucked one out and headed back to the register.

“You’ll have to let me know how that marzipan soda is.” The cashier said cheerfully.

“Yeah, it’s bound to be either amazing or horrifying.” A smile teased the corner of his mouth. “Thanks.”

He headed back to the Bronco. Sanctus bells jingled.

“Isidore?”

“Dad, where are you?”

“I had to stop at the Grab & Go for some gas. I’ll be home in a few.”

“Ooh, can you run inside quick and get a couple bottles of that marzipan soda if they have it? I’m absolutely obsessed with this stuff.”

“Good to know. Sure, I’ll get you some. How’s everything there?”

“Teddy’s in his highchair playing with mashed carrots, and I have the pork chops going.”

“Thanks, hon. I’ll be right there.”

Gabe was kneeling by Matt’s bedside. “I know you feel awful, son. How could anybody have seen that coming?”

“I get it.”

“What’s important is how you move forward. He was happy. Right?”

“Until I asked him about his wife.”

“Focus, Matt. Gary. He approved?”

“Seemed relieved more than anything.”

“Well, you have to admit. He’s been all this time with a big question mark over his head. Right? Who is this guy? What kind of guy leaves a pregnant girl all alone? He was relieved because it was you and you didn’t know. Now that you do, you’re doing it right. You asked. He blessed. That’s that.”

“And then I slammed a wrecking ball right into his heart.”

“Sure, but you couldn’t have known. Maybe she was out of town or something. You couldn’t know.”

“Now I do, and I feel dreadful.”

“We all do. That poor girl, growing up without a mother…”

Matt leaned on his good arm. “You think she wouldn’t have gotten pregnant if she’d have had a mom.”

“I didn’t say that. I didn’t even think it. Who would suggest such a thing?”

Matt leveled a stare that would make a drill sergeant squirm.

“I didn’t say it, but maybe it kind of sneaked in there for half a second. I don’t mean anything by it. Who knows what someone’s going to think in this kind of situation.”

“Oh, Dad.” Matt flopped onto his back. “How am I supposed to make this right? Obviously, this is a source of a lot of pain for him, but I can’t pretend like it didn’t happen, like she never existed. I don’t know how to make this right.”

“Maybe call Father Dan? He’s pretty level-headed.”

“He’s still mad at me for barfing all over the Reconciliation Room.”

“Well, who can blame him? It was like something out of The Exorcist, that mess. I had to call Rednaur’s back three times. Three times, Matthew. Such a stench. It even made carpet guy queasy, and he had a mask on.”

“Dad!”

“Okay, okay, what about that major of yours?”

“It’s pretty late there now. I wouldn’t want to wake him.”

“What about her priest? Can we go to St. Cas for some advice? He knows the family.”

“Feels like airing their dirty laundry with a stranger.”

“Stranger to you, not to them.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Maybe we should.”

“Now you’re talking. Take Bonnie with you.”

“What for?”

“Harold isn’t up for driving and neither are you. Besides, if you stop back at that jewelry store without her, she might just kill you in your sleep.”

“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It’s been a few hours since my last Confession.”

Father Tom sat up a bit straighter. He didn’t recognize the voice. “You sound troubled.”

“I am, Father. I’ve hurt someone. Deeply.”

“Go on.”

“I meant to be respectful, Father. I asked Mr. Light for his permission to ask Abby to marry me.”

“Gary Light?”

“Yes, Father. I’m Teddy’s dad.”

“A beautiful child. He has missed you in his life.”

“I didn’t know, sir. I only found out last Saturday at the Christmas Village.”

“And you’re already prepared to marry Abby? You hardly know her.”

“You could say I was banking it, Father. Seek permission. Buy the ring. Ask the girl. That all needs to happen in due time.”

“Reasonable take. I’ll allow it. Go on.”

“Father, he was overjoyed. He blessed it immediately.”

“Surprising.”

“It was an act of grace, Father, and I’m truly grateful.”

“So, what’s the matter?” He asked crossly.

“I asked if I might have her mother’s permission.”

Father Tom closed his eyes and uttered a quiet prayer.

“Father?”

“Yes, that’s unfortunate. You were trying to be polite. Understandable. Commendable, even. Under normal circumstances, of course.”

“Yes.”

“It’s not a sin. It’s simply a tragedy. You had no ill intent.”

“But I hurt him anyway, Father. I don’t know how to make it right. I don’t know how to fix it, sir.”

“You can’t.”

“Father?”

“This is Gary’s unhealed wound. You weren’t to know. It’s not a sin.”

“But it hurts anyway. Gary has been nothing but kind to me…”

“That’s the Gary I know.”

“So, what do I do?”

“Can you resurrect his late wife?”

“No, sir.”

“Then there’s nothing to be done.”

“Shouldn’t I at least apologize?”

“Did you fail to do so when you discovered the truth?”

“No, I apologized immediately.”

“Then there’s nothing to be done. You have his blessing, despite the pain. You meant to be considerate. You didn’t have the needed facts, and you broached an unresolved issue without malice. You apologized immediately. There is literally nothing to be done, my son. There is no sin here, only tragedy. It’s not yours to fix. God has something planned for Gary. None of us know what it is, but when it comes he will finally feel the healing only God can provide. Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord. Ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.” He slid the curtain to signal for Matt to leave.

“Better?” Bonnie looked up from the pew.

Matt held out his good hand. She took it and leaned on the pew to stand. Neither of them were in particularly good condition to genuflect, but they gave it a credible try. They left quietly, dipping in the holy water to cross themselves on the way out.

“Ugh, it’s so cold. I would have had you bring the car around for me.” She squinted against the frigid wind.

“Yes, Your Highness, Your Highness.”

She flicked the fob to unlock the doors. “And don’t you forget it. Be careful getting in. There might be black ice.”

“I might fall and break my arm.”

She shook her head and rolled her eyes at him. Getting into the car proved to be difficult for both of them. “Matty, help me.”

He circled the hood and offered her a hand to steady her. He closed the door and returned to his side. ‘This is really going to suck.’

“Matt, hurry up and get in. All the cold is blowing in here.”

“Yes, Your Highness, Your Highness.” He bent into a weird squat and tipped back into the seat before swinging his feet in and pulling the door shut.

“That was really odd.” She started the car.

“Sorry.”

“Did it help?”

“Wait, what are we talking about?”

“All that in there. Could they squeeze one more statue into that museum?”

“I think it’s kind of pretty.”

“That’s just because you know she’s going to want to get married in her own church. You think she’ll make you move?”

“I’m more worried about what happens when I go back to Djibouti. It’s not really set up for wives and kids.”

“If you get married, maybe they’ll take that into account and put you someplace where you won’t get blown up again.”

“I doubt that’s true. They tend to put you where they want you. If it’s family-friendly, great. If not, suck it up, Marine.”

“You looked great in your video Christmas card.”

“Mom said she thought I would be getting ladies all excited like Isidore’s voice does.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m getting the vapors just thinking about it. Buckle up, wise guy. We’ve got some ring shopping to do.”

“How am I supposed to know what she likes?”

“That’s what you brought me for, genius. Seriously, buckle up.” She passed a Bronco on her way out of the parking lot.

“Yes, Your Highness, Your Highness.”