Grandma chuckles before she says, “Sam found the first third.”
Sam giggles and slipped her hand into her great grandma’s she says, “Angel great, great, great grandpa knocked the tree down to tell us the family is all here.”
Grandma is silent for a few seconds and then she asks, “Sam what was your grandma’s last name?”
Sam has to think about that I know she’s trying to remember when she says, “Thurgood.”
Mom takes a deep breath in and then she says, “My great-grandmother was a Thurgood too.”
Grandma giggles, “The family really has all come home. My maiden name is Thurgood.”
Kathryn and I look at each other, comprehending we married each other not realizing we are distant cousins. We have no idea how this is going to change our relationship if it will at all.
Misty giggles she puts her head between us then whispers, “Incest is best put your cousin to the test.”
Marshall gives me a punch in the arm to wake me up. He says, “You know that means were cousins too.”
Sam says, “No, you’re my uncle Marshall.”
Marshall gives a chuckle before he says, “It’s more common up here than most people realize. Smaller communities have that problem. Unless you get a girl from college and there’s still no guarantee on that. You’ll find your married your fifth, fourth or maybe even third cousin.”
Misty has a questioning look as she looks at Marshall and he holds up four fingers. With a chuckle I say, “I knew there’s a reason I liked you Misty, you’re probably as closely related to me as Marshall is.”
Kathryn says, “Oh Shit how is this going to affect us adopting Sam.”
Grandma giggles before she says, “After the third cousins you’re not considered to be related. But from what I can gather we’re probably fourth or fifth cousins.”
Kathryn asks, “Should we mention it to Mrs. Clark?”
Alyssa has a quiet smile on her face. She says, “Thank goodness I’m not related to you yet.”
Marshall and I pick up on the yet immediately. With a chuckle I say, “You sure about that, if you go far enough back you’re related to everybody. Genetic show we’re all sons and daughters from only one woman.”
Johnny asks, “Is that true?”
Marshall chuckles says, “If our twelfth grade science teacher can be believed, and that Nova program on human genetics she shown us.”
Johnny asks Marshall “Is that why you’re not prejudiced, that you believe all humans are related?”
Marshall answers bluntly, “Yes, and prejudice is just stupid. Why should I hold something against you that you had no choice in? Did you choose who your parents were going to be? I don’t know of anyone who could answer yes to that, other than maybe Sam.”
Sam giggles and says as she hugs Kathryn, “I think my Angel Mommy and Daddy chose for me. They made sure only Mommy and Daddy found me.” Sam looks around at the concern looks she gets from the family so she continues with the story from what happened to her on the day we found Sam. She takes a deep breath as I pick her up and says, “Let me tell you what happened that day. First we were traveling in the car and we stopped to get gasoline. They were afraid the cops are going to catch them so they didn’t use the interstates. That’s when they heard about the big wedding and how a lot of people were going. Old Mommy wanted to go and see it, Lester didn’t he wanted to keep going. It took a long time for old Mommy to convince Lester to go.”
Sam looks at the boat dock then continues her story. “When we got here the clouds just block out the sun and everybody was looking at the boat dock. I saw the two standing there and I wished they could be my new Mommy and Daddy, that’s when the sun started shining on them. I really don’t know who they were. We were so far away. Lester looked around and said with this crowd we can find a bunch of Johns. I don’t know what he meant by that, but old Mommy didn’t look happy. That’s when she insisted that I stay outside. They hide me way back in the brush where I couldn’t see anything. I couldn’t see the bride and groom anymore.”
Sam takes another deep breath and continues, “Lester had spanked me for running off before, and all I did was go to the bathroom. I needed to use the bathroom bad. I was hungry and thirsty and scared I couldn’t help it I started to cry. It had been so long since they left me. I was hoping Lester forgot about me and left. I was still afraid he was going to come back after me. Daddy, that’s when you call me Princess for the first time, I was scared but happy that Lester wasn’t there. Then Mommy comes in and takes me into her arms. I was so happy I forgot about the bride and groom. That’s when I asked Mommy if I couldn’t find my old Mommy if she would be my new Mommy.”
MC being the curious reporter asks, “So you don’t know who the bride and groom were?”
Sam shrugs her shoulders and says, “No, it doesn’t matter I got my Mommy and Daddy.”
Kathryn asks, “Sam did you really wish for the bride and groom to be your Mommy and Daddy?”
Sam looks down not wanting to meet our gaze and answers, “But that was before I met you. I wouldn’t want anybody to be my Mommy and Daddy but you.” Sam throws her arms around me tightly, and Kathryn hugs us both. When Sam raises her face she sees nothing but smiles from the family and happy tears. Sam asked, “I didn’t do anything wrong did I?”
Kathryn looks into Sam’s eyes and says, “My beautiful little Sam you didn’t do anything wrong. I got to let you know you got your wish. Your Daddy and I were the bride and groom.”
The expression of surprise is unmistakable on Sam’s face. She truly didn’t know that we were the bride and groom she wished to have as her new parents. With tears of joy Sam says, “I really got my wish. I did get to choose my parents.”
Marshall says, “You couldn’t pick any better Sam.”
Sam giggles, “I got the best family in the world. It’s a really big family and I love everyone in it.”
Sam continues to giggle as she hears everyone in the family return, “I love you too Sam.” That makes it the best family in the world for Sam, the love each individual gives her, and she so easily returns. That makes Sam our pride and joy, not just Kathryn and I but the entire family. She reaches for her grandpa Michael and goes to him giving him a kiss on the cheek then proceeding onto each and every member of the family last is her Great Grandma and she kisses both her cheeks.
Grandma finally says, “Sam our beautiful Princess, thank you for finding what had been lost for so long. You found the love that pulls this family together.”
Uncle George appears he’s almost breathless as he looks at Alyssa, the family can tell nothing else in the world matters to him right now. He walks up to her and takes her into his arms for a long passionate kiss. As far as I know that’s the first time they actually kissed. Joan and Johnny stepped closer to Marshall giving their mother room to be with George. When they finally do break the kiss George steps back and goes to his knee reaching into his pocket he withdrawals a ring box. Looking up into Alyssa’s face George asks, “Alyssa my love will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Alyssa has the biggest beautiful smile as she giggles, “You only kissed me once…”
Whatever Alyssa was going to say got cut off as George stands and quickly pulls her into a kiss. Joan caresses him on his shoulder after a little while to get George’s attention. When they break their kiss Joan says, “Dad, give Mom a chance to say yes.”
Marshall echoes, “Yeah Dad, give Mom a chance to answer.”
Johnny smiles and says. “You heard my brother and sister Dad. Give Mom a chance to answer.”
Misty has wrapped herself around Marshall’s arm smiles brightly at the two she shakes her head yes encouraging Alyssa to answer.
Alyssa giggles and says, “If my fiancée would let me finish the sentence…” Of course she doesn’t get to finish as George pulls her into a third kiss.
Johnny chuckles, “I finally get a brother to hang out with.” He gives Marshall a hug slapping him on the back.
Joan giggles, “It looks like I get a big brother too.”
When it finally break their third kiss Alyssa holding George arm’s-length says, “Yes I will marry you. Yes my divorce is final and I can.”
George smiles and says, “I missed you so much. I couldn’t wait to ask you.” He finally slips the ring on Alyssa’s finger.
Sam giggles and asks, “Is it going to be Grandpa George or Aunt Alyssa? A girl got to know.”
This seems to confuse the new couple, which only brings laughter from the rest of the family. As we walk back to the kitchen we show and explain about finding the treasure. Even to the fact that we believe us all are distant cousins.
Uncle George chuckles and finally says, “Did you guys happen to know that your great, great, great grandfather was John and his wife was Kathryn?”
Kathryn and I look at each other after all the other surprises today it’s not something that would upset us, but it does cause a shiver to run down both our backs. I decided that is something I need to do some research on. That would be about where the family would have branched off, in to each of the separate families that now come back together.
George finally asked Alyssa, “My love which would you rather be for Sam, aunt or grandma?”
Alyssa answers, “Sam start calling me Aunt Alyssa. I am too young to be a grandma.” She says with a wink, Misty and Marshall giggle in the background, obviously Alyssa has forgotten about Misty’s pregnancy.
Mom gives her a playful smack on her ass before she says, “You’re not that much younger than I am.”
Alyssa giggles saying, “If Sam calls me Aunt Alyssa I’ll still feel younger than you.”
Sam giggles before she says as she throws her into a hug, “I don’t care what I call you as long as you know I love you.”
Happy tears run down Alyssa’s face as she scooping Sam up. Kissing Sam she says, “I love you too my beautiful little Sam.” Sam giggles and hugs Alyssa back.
Michael is concerned with how we going to get the nearly one hundred year old lids off the mason jars. The lids tarred in place by simply immersing them into a pot filled with molten tar. It is proving harder to get it off than it was to put it on. We finally heat knives to nearly wet hot and that cuts the tar rather easily. But it still also liquefies the tar and again sticks to the lid if we don’t remove it quickly enough. It takes nearly an hour to remove all the lids. We do so without breaking a single jar once we found out the jars were worth several hundred dollars apiece.
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