Chapter 17
I was really doing well at Global. I'd taken the lead on three of our new accounts, I was incredibly busy. My days flew by and my nights were spent either with Bill or doing more work at home. Bill, Callie and I rotated between our houses, which was becoming a bit of a hassle. I hated having to miss my walks with Terry. I didn't bring up the subject of marriage again with Bill. I felt the fact that he was still by my side was enough, for now, but I'd hoped he would ask me again.
It's been about six weeks since Michael went back to work. Bill was wonderful about keeping me updated, I worried about him being in danger so often. Once, he'd even put Michael on speaker phone, when we were together and he got a call from him, I got to hear his voice and we updated each other about our lives. I thought it was so unselfish of Bill to share him with me, considering our circumstances. He never seemed to be jealous or resentful. I think he truly understood our relationship. I was so thankful to him, and loved having Michael in my life too.
I felt my cell phone vibrating in my pocket:
Let's do dinner somewhere nice tonight
Sure
I was thinking Paradox
Yes!! I loved it there
Pick you up at 6:30?
K
Love you
Love you too
Bill was really good at spoiling me. His business was growing, partly thanks to our marketing, his sales were up and the business had hit the five year mark, each year gaining more profits. I liked that he shared some of his information with me. He asked my opinion often.
We sat in the same little area as the last time we were here, it was secluded from the other tables, which was nice for privacy when talking. Bill ordered us wine.
"Do you remember what happened the last time we were here?" he asked me.
"I remember we danced, you were very charming!"
"Is that all?"
"Hmmm...You mean do I remember that this is where you first told me you loved me?" I smiled at him, "Of course, I can't forget that!"
"I'm glad."
"It impresses me, that you remember too."
"It was a very important night for me Lisa, it's also the night I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you."
He got up and I assumed it was to move his chair closer to me again, but then he got down on his knee, pulled out my ring and said, "Lisa, will you agree to spend the rest of your life with me, as my Wife?"
"Oh! Bill really!" I gasped and leaned over to hug him. "Your really sure?"
He laughed, "Yes, I'm really sure, what about you?"
"I love you," I kissed him. "I love you so much," I kissed him again.
"Does that mean Yes?"
"Yes!"
He took my hand, slid the ring on my finger and moved his chair closer to me.
"Oh Bill, it's just beautiful!"
"This center stone here," he pointed, "this was part of my grandmothers ring, her and my grandfather were married over 50 years."
"Really!"
"Yes. My mother had saved it after grandma passed away and always said her first son to marry could offer it to his wife. I'm lucky, I'm first."
"It's even more amazing knowing it comes with memories. I absolutely love it Bill."
"I had the jeweler add all of these surrounding stones and put it in a new setting, but I liked the idea of keeping the original stone."
"It's perfect!"
"Mom said you'd like it, she approved it."
"She's known?"
"I asked her for the ring, the night we left here last time. I told her I'd found the one. Believe me, it's been hard for her to keep it a secret!"
"How did I get so lucky to have you in my life?' I leaned over and kissed him again, "I can't wait to make our life together, I want to spend every day, every night with you forever."
"Do you want a big wedding?"
"I would love to get married, right here at Paradox. The first time you brought me here I said it would be a beautiful place for a wedding and now, it has two special nights for us. What do you think?"
"I think that's perfect, I'm in! Do you want to dance?"
"Yes."
I put my one arm around Bills neck and the other just flat on his chest, I couldn't stop looking at my ring. It was stunning and had so much thought put into it. "You spoil me Bill."
"I'm glad to," he kissed me softly.
"Wait till Terry hears!"
He laughed, "I'm sure she will be excited to help you plan things."
"She will!"
"Mom wants to arrange an engagement party for us, invite the whole family out to the house. What do you think?"
"Sounds good! I really like your mother."
"She always wanted a daughter, you know."
"Really."
"Yes. She couldn't have anymore children. Not that she wasn't happy with us."
"I want a daughter too, I understand. I'm sure while you and Michael were off shooting guns and fishing, she'd have loved to of had a daughter to do girl things with," I smiled.
"Probably. Let's agree here and now then, we keep going till we have a boy and a girl."
"What if I have two or three boys first, like your Mom?"
"I can afford to have a dozen."
"Maybe, but you don't have to actually give birth to them all!" we laughed.
"I'm so happy Bill."
"Me too Lisa. I want to seriously look at buying a piece of property, soon as possible, we can build our dream home. I thought I'd sell the condo and we could stay at your apartment till the house is ready. What's your thoughts?"
"That makes sense, we don't need both places, I'm tired of lugging things back and forth between the two for sure. When do I get to start spending every night with you?"
"Tonight sounds good to me!"
"Me too!"
In the car Bill said, "How would you feel if I called Mom to let her know?"
"Yes, put her on speaker phone."
She was so genuinely happy to hear the news, she made me feel so welcome and truly wanted me to be a part of her family."
"Should we call Michael next?"
"Yes," I smiled.
He put him on speaker phone as well:
"Hi Kid, it's me and Lisa."
"Hey Michael!" I said.
"Hey! I'm glad you caught me, what's going on?"
"I wanted to let you know, I asked Lisa to marry me, and she said yes!"
"I'm so happy for you both, wow! Hey, did you take Grandmas ring?"
"I did, sorry bro."
"Michael, it's so beautiful!" I bragged.
"I'm glad you got it Lisa. When's the wedding?"
We laughed, "Well we're not sure yet, but soon!" I said.
"I will be there."
"Kid, is there anyway, I know it's a little weird, but I want you by my side, as my bestman, if you can handle it? Be honest."
"Damn right, I'm your best man! I wouldn't it miss it for all the drug deals in the world!" he laughed.
"Thank you Michael," I said.
"Well look at us," Bill said. "We are doing this pretty well, I'm proud of us."
"Me too," Michael and I said together.
"We'll keep you posted as we figure it all out. You staying safe Kid?"
"Yeah, this jobs not too dangerous. It's nice to have semi normal for a while. Look, I even got to answer my phone like a normal person."
"That's true."
"You promise to give me lots of nieces and nephews right Lisa?"
"Definitely Michael."
"I can't wait," he said. "I've got to get going. I will call you next week Bill."
"Ok, bye Kid"
"Bye Michael," I said.
"Thank you Bill," I said and held his hand.
"For what?"
"For being so generous, so understanding, for everything you think to do to make me happy. I wanted to ask you something about Michael. I hesitated, "You know the night we all left your Moms? I didn't think, I know I hugged him, it's just an instinct."
"If it bothered me, I'd have told you Lisa. I have thought about it all a lot lately. I realized I can't take away how much you and my brother care for each other, I don't want to. I want to make you the happiest Wife and Mother you have always wanted to be. I'm the lucky one. I can have you as my Wife, my friend, my lover, and the Mother of my children, I get it all! I'm glad Michael gets to keep you as a friend. I'd never want to take that away from either of you."
This is the first time we actually spoke about it again. "I'm the lucky one for sure," I said as I admired my ring and all that went along with it. I would be Mrs. Lisa Bowen.