In their 23 year relationship, George and Tamara had had more than their fair share of problems to deal with. In 1956, it was not common to see mixed race couples and, in the small English town of Nanfair, it was positively unheard of. Although those who opposed their relationship were more concerned about the 18 year age gap. These issues had always put a strain on their relationship although they always got through everything that life threw at them and continued their happy relationship regardless of anyone or anything else and having two daughters together. Now, however, they had a new challenge. Their two daughters, 16 year old Cheyenne and 14 year old Charice had recently informed them that they were both pregnant. For the first time in their long relationship, George and Tamara were at loggerheads and at a complete loss as to what they would do. Whilst George insisted that 14 was too young for a baby and Cheyenne could keep hers as long as she married the father, Tamara was adamant that it was too late now and they would all chip in and help both girls.
The arguments between all four members of the family went on for weeks. Both girls wanted their babies and it was only when George was told that it was too late for a termination did he accept the situation. Once he had resigned himself to the fact that he would be a grandfather sooner than he had hoped, he did everything he could to support the girls. However, Tamara felt that George was doing more for Cheyenne so she tried to counter that with doing more for Charice. Eventually, both Tamara and George began to drift apart as each one doted on a different child and grandchild. The couple, for the first time in their long marriage, just couldn't find the words to talk to each other about anything, let alone their pregnant daughters.
The babies were expected at around the same time and George insisted on getting to know the fathers. Charice's boyfriend, James, was 29 and, while George and Tamara had a large age gap, they felt that Charice was far too young to be in such a serious relationship with a man of that age despite his obvious love for her and devotion to the child. He had a small electronics business and made sure that every penny of profit that he could spare was spent on Charice and the baby. They had met a few years previous while he was working as a technician at a cinema where Tamara was working. They had become friends there and a works outing provided him with the opportunity to meet Tamara's family. George and Tamara had known what it was like to have such an unusual relationship and, as much as they wanted their daughter to be happy, they didn't want her to be the subject of local gossip. Of course, with two pregnant daughters, it was too late as the whole family were now the subject of gossip throughout the town.
16 year old Cheyenne, however, had not even told her boyfriend of the pregnancy. He was a 17 year old school boy called Danny with dreams of becoming a professional footballer. Cheyenne didn't want to spoil that for him and, so, she had left him. This is where the real trouble began.
George was determined that both of his grandchildren would have a father. He rifled through his daughter's things until he discovered what he needed - a telephone number for Danny. Tamara implored him not to call. They had never met Danny and did not know anything about him. George ignored her pleas and called him.
"Danny?" he asked.
"Yes, who is this?" came the reply.
"I am your child's grandfather".
Danny was confused. He knew nothing of any child. He explained this to George but all George was interested in was getting Danny to come and meet him. Danny, after some persuasion, agreed to meet the next day.
George and Danny met at the cafe where he had met Tamara almost a quarter of a century before. It was a small, quaint place with pleasant staff and decor which looked as though it hadn't been changed since the 1920's. As George was about to speak, Tamara burst in with a terrified Cheyenne hiding behind her.
"Don't tell him, George."
"Please, Dad, you can't tell him." squealed Cheyenne.
It was too late. George had already told him.
Danny came to Cheyenne and tried to comfort her. No one could understand her panic but Tamara urged Danny to leave her alone. Eventually, Cheyenne admitted that Danny might not be the father and that's why she had split with Danny. She didn't want him to know anything about it. Another secret came out. Danny had had a terrible upbringing with a violent father and alcoholic mother and Cheyenne was scared that Danny would turn on her if he found that she had been cheating on him.
George had always been a good judge of character and he believed Danny when he assured him that he was not like his parents and all four of them travelled back together to George and Tamara's home. The atmosphere during the journey was hostile and no one spoke. Upon their return home, Danny and Cheyenne began to talk but George and Tamara seemed to have drifted yet further apart. Of all the things they had gone through together, finally their own relationship had been accepted but now there was more gossip to come. They heard whispers "What kind of mother is she?", "She shouldn't have had them so young" and even the old insults started up. Both children were, of course, half-cast and both had white boyfriends. Tamara was so upset by this. She had gotten over this problem with her own husband but it broke her heart to see her children lose friends because of something which, by now, was so petty. While George seemed to be shouldering most of the burden, Tamara just felt that her own life had been turned upside down.
Cheyenne and James decided that they would continue their relationship as friends while Charice and James began to make wedding plans. Of course, George would never agree to this so they would have to have a long engagement.
A few months later, the two girls gave birth within a few hours of each other. Charice had a girl whom she named Georgia, while Cheyenne named her twin sons Ty and Todd.
By this time, George and Tamara were separated. Tamara had decided to stay with her sister while George took care of the family. Although they both tried to be fair with their children and with each other, there still seemed to be a lot of resentment between George and Tamara from the whole situation.
Charice
and James planned their wedding day for 14th February 1986. Charice
would be 19 by then. They had it all planned 2 years in advance and, after making their own arrangements for their wedding, they then decided that they would help the rest of the family to be happy too. James arranged a DNA test for Ty and Todd which, once Danny had been persuaded that it was a good idea, showed that Danny was, in fact the father. Meanwhile,
Charice enlisted the help of her sister and arranged a meeting between their parents. They wrote down a long list of why George and Tamara loved each other and arranged for it to be displayed on a table at the cafe where they first met. The lady in the cafe had known the family of old and was glad to assist with the arrangements. She had been one of the few friends who had always stuck by the family no matter what.
George and Tamara did still love each other very much but, after the difficult year, they struggled to remember that. When they realised that they had both done what they thought was right and everything had turned out ok, they began to remember all the other things they had come through. Their now 24 year relationship was blooming again, Charice and Cheyenne both managed home study while they had support with the babies from their family, Danny embarked on a career as a football coach and James managed to expand his business.
On February 14th 1986, George and Tamara celebrated their own 30th anniversary along with their their daughter's wedding day. That same year, Ty, Todd and Georgina began school. While George and Tamara and Charice and James all stayed together and worked at their relationships, Danny and Cheyenne had an on-off relationship until they decided that they would be better off apart. All the children were well cared for and George was so glad that he had lost the argument about his grandchildren. He loved them so very much and they, along with his daughters, had made them realise just how much he loved Tamara.