The Mining Town

"How did you know?"

"I hope you don't mind my prying, but when you told me you met someone, I called your parents. They told me they had never heard you speak about someone like you speak about John. It wasn't hard to put the pieces together."

"I hope you're not disappointed. You know how I feel about you and how appreciative I am of everything you've done for me."

"On the contrary, your happiness is my top priority. If leaving to pursue what lies ahead for you and John will make you happy, then you have my full support."

Patricia started to tear up a bit. "I think it will."

With that, she stood and came around the desk to give her uncle a hug.

*****

Patricia couldn't just pack up that day and leave. Her lease still had several months on it, and more importantly she had work for the firm that had to be either completed or handed off to other lawyers in the firm. It would take the better part of two months to finish all the tasks. She went to see John every weekend, taking off Friday afternoons to get her weekend started early. A bag already packed and in her car waiting.

Giving her notice allowed the proverbial cat out of the bag regarding her uncle, and he made time at least once a week for them to have lunch together. Patricia cherished these lunches with him, knowing how influential he, as well as her parents, had been in her dream to become a lawyer.

On her weekend visits to John, she also started looking at offices for rent. After a couple of weeks, she had settled on an office right on Main Street in town. She started the work necessary to set up her own business. The lease for the office had been signed a couple of weeks before she finished up at the firm. John headed over to the office many evenings during the week to start getting it up to snuff for a 'hot fancy lawyer,' as he put it. She would help on the weekends, pausing occasionally to 'christen her office' as John put it. She would still smile years later when she thought of the acts performed on the desk in her office while they were renovating. If only the clients knew.

Patricia was stressed at the thought of trying to find an assistant, until John found out and suggested Mrs. Fertig. While she did not have experience in a law firm, she learned quickly and kept the office running smoothly, including spending a couple of months training her replacement when she was able to comfortably retire a few years later.

*****

They were married within the year. They both knew it was inevitable - in the best way possible - so why wait? Patricia insisted that they get married on their deck over the river. John was a little hesitant at first, suggesting that maybe she wanted a bigger affair than his deck could provide. Patricia said she wanted to spend the time with those closest to her, not with dozens of people she hadn't seen in years. John couldn't argue with her logic. It was a lovely wedding with about thirty people attending.

The next couple of years were spent getting her practice firmly established, at least that's the way Patricia remembered it. In truth, she was providing a service that the town and surrounding areas sorely needed. While she would never earn the type of money a partnership in a big firm would offer, it was more than enough for her and John to live very comfortably. More important, the work was fulfilling.

They waited a few years before starting their family. A girl, Taylor, was born first. Followed two years later by John Jr. As they grew up, Taylor showed a flair for art, while John Jr. was following his father to the shop on Saturday mornings by the time he was ten.

John

John Jr. had taken over running the shop. He ended up expanding it, and within a couple of years hired two more mechanics to help handle the volume of work. John still went in to help, satisfied to just pick up his work orders and get the jobs done while his son ran the business.

Taylor had become a moderately successful artist. She found further success in her photography, and published several photobooks documenting the history of mining towns in the area.

He often reflected on how his life turned out. The sudden turn it took due to a broken-down car and the fortuitous meeting of a beautiful woman. In hindsight it was probably easier than it should have been. John never referred to it as luck or chance. Sometimes life just works out if you live it with no expectations.

*****

I hope you enjoyed the journey with John and Patricia. While there was not a lot of struggle for the characters in this story, sometimes good things happen to good people.