Stephanie
watched the car pull out the drive and waited on Snow to do her
business.
“Well
girl, welcome to the family.” Stephanie said as she looked down at
Snowball. “Your momma and my daddy are gonna be married.”
“Daddy
and Lexie getting marrweed?” Romeo asked.
“That's
why daddy and Lexie are going out, so he can ask her. You want that
don't you?” Stephanie asked Romeo.
Snowball
walked between Stephanie and Romeo. While Stephanie shut the door and
locked it up, Romeo thought about what Stephanie had told him.
“So
daddy and Lexie are gonna get married.” Romeo said.
Stephanie
could almost see his little brain trying go gasp the information. All
of a sudden he broke out in a huge smile.
“That
means Snowball will be our puppy.” He ran into the family room
yelling for Jake. Snowball running and jumping right with him.
“Jakey
daddy and Lexie are gonna get married, and Snowball will be our
puppy.” Romeo yelled as he and Jakey rolled on the floor tumbling
with Snowball.
“So,
those two are happy.” Jesse watched the three of them rolling on
the floor.
“Yeah,
nothing is gonna change.” Stephanie told him.
“It
will if she has a baby, now that they are gonna be married.” Jesse
finally let the elephant into the room.
“A
baby, aren't they too old for that?” Stephanie asked
“Not
if my Physics teacher is any thing to go by.” Jesse told her.
“We'll
see, won't we.” Stephanie went into the kitchen to check on the
pizza that she had in the oven.
Jon
drove toward Long Branch, he called in a few favors and got a table
for two. He had it all planned dinner and then a walk on the beach.
The moon would be full and the beach deserted. He would ruin his
pants but it would worth it to make it memorable for her.
He
pulled into the lot of Avenue La Club. Jogging around the car just
to open her door. Once out he tucked her arm with his and walked her
to the restaurant. They were seated by the window and no one was to
be seated near them. They talked about their up coming schedules and
where they would go for the upcoming holidays. Jon paid the bill and
they headed out the restaurant, Jon angled her toward the boardwalk.
They looked in the windows, then he guided her to the beach. He
helped her remove her shoes and stockings, balling up the stocking he
put them in his jacket pocket.
“This
is so nice, bet the kids would like coming down here.” Lexie said
as they moved down the dark beach.
“We
could take a weekend and come down.” Jon told her as the moon
crested the horizon, they stood there and looked out over the water
as the moon rose higher and higher.
Jon
turned her to face him.
Lexie
was caught by the look in his eyes The whole night he had that same
look in his eyes. All of a sudden she had had a little nervous
shiver run through her body.
“I
was at the end of my rope, or rather the bottom of my bottle, when I
showed up at that cabin.” He watched her dip her head, lifting it
up so he could look deep in her eyes. “I walked in the kitchen and
thought you were the cook Hugh hired so Romeo wouldn't starve, while
we were there.”
Lexie
giggled at the memory of Jon standing in the kitchen.
Jon
fingered the box in his pocket.
“By
the end of the week, I knew I had found someone special. Someone who
loved, liked me for being me. You and that little ball of white fur
slipped into my heart and made me want to share my life again. You
brought my family together and bonded with them.” He went off
script that he had written in his head. “They must love you
already to volunteer sitting for the terrible two.” he laughed.
Lexie
giggled along with him. She was shocked when he dropped down on one
knee.
“Jon?”
Lexie breathed.
“I
want to spend the rest of my life waking up next to you, to grow old
with you.” He looked up in her shocked face. “Share the good
times and the bad times, share my children with you.” He pulled
the box out of his pocket. “Will you do me the honor of being my
wife?” He held up the ring and it sparkled in the moon light as if
he had it all planned with the man in the moon.
Lexie
gasped as the ring came into view. It was beautiful and not so
ostentatious that she wouldn't feel safe to wear it to a signing.
She held her hand out for him to place it on her left hand. Then she
noticed she was so into him, the proposal and the ring that she
hadn't answered him.
“Yes
Jon, yes I'll marry you and share your life and your children.” She
reached down to him and put her hands around his cheeks and bent down
and kissed him.
Neither
of them noticed the flash of a single camera. He had stayed outside
in the cooling night and followed them down the boardwalk. He knew
something was up, he had almost called the paper to let them know who
and what he had just witnessed. Something stopped him when they had
headed down on the beach, here there was no where to blend in, as
they was on the boardwalk. When he saw Jon drop to one knee he knew
a proposal was in the works. Now he was glad to be the only reporter
on the beach. Their faces had been in shadow, if you knew who it
was, you couldn't tell from the picture. He quickly let the couple
have their special moment. As he turned to walk back to his car he
looked at his watch, he had fifteen minutes to make the morning
addition.
“I
wonder if the kids are up?” Lexie asked as they walked back to the
car.
“They
better not be, I want you naked wearing only your ring.” He leaned
close and gave her a quick kiss as he held the door to the car. She
giggled as he went around to get in.
They
were lucky that they made back to the house without a ticket for
speeding. The reporters snapped to when the car roared up the
street. Thank God he remembered to open the gate by remote or when
he spun into the drive he would have taken the gate out and made the
morning edition. Camera's flashed, Lexie put her hand up to block
the flash reflected off the windows. Jon fishtailed spraying gravel
and yard.
He
screeched into the garage, jumping out and ran around the car.
Scooping her up in his arms, he carried her, both of them laughing.
He flipped the lock and let her open the door.
“They
left the television on.” He said as the entered the family room
only to stop. There standing between them and the steps were
Stephanie and Jesse. Hands on hips, looking every bit of angry parent
mode.
“You
were supposed to be in bed.” Jon told them, slowly letting Lexie
side down his body.
“You
two are late, Romeo wanted to wait up, it was a struggle to get him
and Jakey to bed.” Stephanie told them, standing with her hands on
her hips.
Jon
would have laughed, but she was so serious. He grinned and tried to
give them the a stink eye, but he was too happy to muster one.
“Well,
what do you have to say daddy?” Jesse asked him.
He
took Lexie by the left hand and lifted it up for them to see.
Jesse
slapped him on the back and Stephanie squealed and threw her arms
around Lexie.
“Now,
go to bed, we want to celebrate.” Jon laughed as he shooed his
older two up the stairs.
“Jon?”
Lexie blushed as he followed a laughing Jon.
When
they got upstairs and the kids into their rooms he scooped her back
up in his arms.
“Where
were we?” He said them kissed her. “I think we were heading
here.” He stopped at the door to his bedroom and reached down and
opened the door.
Well let them enjoy it now because in the morning all hell is going to let loose!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYES
ReplyDeleteAww what a nice proposal. So happy for them. Who cares about the photographer.... They're engaged.... nice.
ReplyDeleteYAY!
ReplyDeleteBring on the wedding!
The proposal was beautiful.
ReplyDelete