What just happened?

How was my Father’s Day? Not good at all. Friday morning, Mama called me in a panic. Maggie was checking herself into the hospital for a psyche evaluation. The kids were with a friend. Aaron was under way somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. It appeared to be a dire situation. Mama had either contacted or been contacted by Aaron’s parents and they had agreed to purchase a one-way ticket for Mama to fly to Wilmington. The cost was $700. I was not in favor of Mama moving too fast in the situation as it was unfolding, but there seemed to be some genuine urgency. If Mama had to go, I suggested that she drive in case she needed to bring back Maggie and the kids. At the very least, she would have a way home when she was no longer needed to help Maggie and the kids. We really did not know the need, or the extent of the time Maggie would be in the hospital, but Mama was prepared to stay with Maggie or bring her and the kids home with her until Aaron’s deployment was done. That date is several weeks out.

So, Mama headed out on her 1200-mile drive to get to Wilmington early Saturday morning. Aaron was in contact with his parents and had talked over with them several potential solutions to address the underlying cause, but nothing had been settled. Mama was nearly at the halfway point, Tuscaloosa, Al when Maggie called Mama to tell her she had been released from the hospital. It was all the fault of a change in medications. Maggie told Mama she was not needed. She should go home. At that point a flurry of calls ensued, and it was decided by all parties other than Maggie (Aaron, his parents, me and Mama, others I will not mention) that Mama continue on to Wilmington.

The way Maggie was talking and acting did not line up with her insisting that she was okay. When she called to fuss at me about Mama’s coming, I told her that at the least I would have expected her to tell Mama, “I am so sorry to have caused all this concern. I really am okay. If you want, go ahead and come so you can at least spend a couple days with the grandkids, please do. They would love to see you. But if would be better for what you and dad need, you can go back home.” That was not the response we were getting. Rather it was a defensive response of Maggie not wanting us to interfere in her life. So, she began a campaign of calling everyone she could think of to tell them what a horrible situation she was in trying to defend her marriage and her children from her interfering parents. Mama began receiving those chastising calls from people Maggie had taken that position with almost immediately. All while she was continuing her drive to Wilmington.

Prior to or somewhere near her checking herself into the hospital Maggie had called Aaron’s command and talked to them. I am not sure what she told them, but they were willing to send Aaron to her; to the point that they docked early Sunday morning and purchased a ticket for him to fly home. That was Sunday morning. By Sunday evening, Maggie had convinced Aaron that the entire incident had been blow entirely out of proportion. Everything was fine. He could continue his deployment. He decided to follow her advice and stay with the boat. Nothing to see here. How his command reacted to that is not known to me, but I expect it was not a feather in Aarons cap. I was a little angry after I talked to Aaron, but there is nothing I can do. Except to be certain that we will not do this again.

I am sure Mama will have a good visit for the days she is there with Maggie and the kids. At least, I am praying she does. She needs to rest up a day or two before turning around and coming home. Gas, meals, hotels, etc,, $850 plus. 2500 miles of road to cover and the inherent dangers involved in that. Mama and I are asking each other, “what just happened?” No one can tell us.

Meanwhile, because of the urgency required on Maggie’s part Friday and Saturday, along with Mama’s leaving to help as much as she could in that situation, Brittany had to change her plans to come down for Father’s Day and spend this week with us. Her birthday is Thursday. Andrew is deployed right now so she wanted some company on her birthday. That’s not going to happen. With finances already very tight, Mama and I had to spend money tagged for other purposed that will now have to wait another month or two as we try to recoup the losses. Aaron’s parents are sending us some money to help defray the expenses of Mama’s travel, but at this point I feel like we would be taking money under false pretenses. Eventually my irritation will abate, but my sensitivity to responding in this manner again has definitely been calloused.

On the bright side, I got to hear from all my children on Father’s Day. I love being a Daddy and a Papi. In spite of all life often throws at me as I occupy that office.

God has been and continues to be overwhelmingly good to me and Mama.