Annaly leaned down and adjusted the hat on the one-year-old boy in front of her.
"Make sure you keep your ears covered. I don't think Daddy and uncle Rafe will check that." She sniffled and wiped water off her pale cheeks. She knew the baby was to young to do as she asked but she couldn't resist.
"Come on pal let's leave Daddy and Annaly alone." Rafe picked up little Danny and "flew" him to the awaiting plane, complete with lip manufactured engine noises.
"Annaly."
"Walker." They both began at the same time.
Danny opened his arms and Annaly buried her face in his chest.
"Tell me you're not leaving that I'm dreaming."
"Annaly I've got to go my son needs a stable home and Pearl just isn't it." He rubbed her back in small circular movements trying to comfort her.
"What about us Walker is this the end?"
"Annaly come with me."
"I can't, I'd have to leave the military and if I went all the way to Tennessee and we broke up then where would I go?"
"Then marry me." Danny pulled a small box from his pocket; it contained a diamond shape sapphire set in a gold band.
"Oh my god!" Annaly's hands flew to her mouth.
"It reminded me of you. The stones the color of you eyes and the band matches your hair. Annaly you were my support when Evelyn was sick my strength when she died, you helped me raise Danny this past year. I love you, Danny loves you hell even Rafe loves you. Please be my wife."
"God Walker I don't know what to say."
"A simple yes would suffice."
"Yes, yes, yes!" She exclaimed throwing her long arms around his neck and planting a dizzying kiss on him.
"Get out as soon as you can I'll be waiting for you." Danny brushed a stray wisp of her silky hair from her eyes after spinning her around. Once she felt the ground beneath her feet she whispered.
"I wish I could go with you now." Annaly tightened her grip on Danny's waist once more.
Danny smiled in his normal shy way
"So desert just leave."
"That's all I need I'll be court marshaled." Annaly giggled as Danny moved his head so he was breathing on the delicate skin behind Annaly's ear. "You had better go Captain Walker, I think Captain McCawley's starting to get restless."
They both looked over at Rafe who was leaning against the wing of their plane, his arms crossed and his strong jaw clenched. He just shook his head at them. He turned, got in and started the plane.
"Hold it Danny." A familiar voice called from behind.
Rafe looked out the cockpit window. Seeing his friends standing on the runway he turned the engine off and climbed out.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Danny looked at Red, Sandra, Barbara, Martha, Gooze, Mike and a new nurse Caroline. Caroline was the young nurse that was hired when Evelyn was on maternity leave. The irony is she was the nurse on call when Evelyn died.
"You didn't think were going to let you guys leave without saying good bye now did you?" Sandra asked in her sweet voice.
"Hoped is more like it." Rafe smirked
"Gee love you too Rafe." Gooze said sarcastically
"Guys we're getting married!" Annaly squealed no longer able to contain her excitement.
"Oh that's so great Annaly." Caroline hugged her
"Alright congratulations." Mike shook Danny's hand, then turning his head to Sandra whom he had recently started dating he whispered "Don't get any ideas."
"You two better get going before you don't want to leave." Martha stated looking from Rafe to Danny.
Annaly wrapped her arms around Danny's waist once more.
"I love you."
"I love you too, Annaly get everything set and come out to Shelby." HE kissed her gently and cocked his head in the direction of the plane, Rafe nodded and they said final goodbyes.
The two guys walked toward the plane as their friends stood by watching. Danny buckled in the baby as Rafe started the engine. They took of not the sky neither really wanting to leave but both knowing it was right. They watched the group still standing to the tarmac continuing to wave as the shrunk more and more as the plane climbed to new heights. And then they couldn't even be seen anymore.
"Mr. Daniel James Walker." Annaly whispered as her fiancé disappeared into the clouds.
"Make sure you keep your ears covered. I don't think Daddy and uncle Rafe will check that." She sniffled and wiped water off her pale cheeks. She knew the baby was to young to do as she asked but she couldn't resist.
"Come on pal let's leave Daddy and Annaly alone." Rafe picked up little Danny and "flew" him to the awaiting plane, complete with lip manufactured engine noises.
"Annaly."
"Walker." They both began at the same time.
Danny opened his arms and Annaly buried her face in his chest.
"Tell me you're not leaving that I'm dreaming."
"Annaly I've got to go my son needs a stable home and Pearl just isn't it." He rubbed her back in small circular movements trying to comfort her.
"What about us Walker is this the end?"
"Annaly come with me."
"I can't, I'd have to leave the military and if I went all the way to Tennessee and we broke up then where would I go?"
"Then marry me." Danny pulled a small box from his pocket; it contained a diamond shape sapphire set in a gold band.
"Oh my god!" Annaly's hands flew to her mouth.
"It reminded me of you. The stones the color of you eyes and the band matches your hair. Annaly you were my support when Evelyn was sick my strength when she died, you helped me raise Danny this past year. I love you, Danny loves you hell even Rafe loves you. Please be my wife."
"God Walker I don't know what to say."
"A simple yes would suffice."
"Yes, yes, yes!" She exclaimed throwing her long arms around his neck and planting a dizzying kiss on him.
"Get out as soon as you can I'll be waiting for you." Danny brushed a stray wisp of her silky hair from her eyes after spinning her around. Once she felt the ground beneath her feet she whispered.
"I wish I could go with you now." Annaly tightened her grip on Danny's waist once more.
Danny smiled in his normal shy way
"So desert just leave."
"That's all I need I'll be court marshaled." Annaly giggled as Danny moved his head so he was breathing on the delicate skin behind Annaly's ear. "You had better go Captain Walker, I think Captain McCawley's starting to get restless."
They both looked over at Rafe who was leaning against the wing of their plane, his arms crossed and his strong jaw clenched. He just shook his head at them. He turned, got in and started the plane.
"Hold it Danny." A familiar voice called from behind.
Rafe looked out the cockpit window. Seeing his friends standing on the runway he turned the engine off and climbed out.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Danny looked at Red, Sandra, Barbara, Martha, Gooze, Mike and a new nurse Caroline. Caroline was the young nurse that was hired when Evelyn was on maternity leave. The irony is she was the nurse on call when Evelyn died.
"You didn't think were going to let you guys leave without saying good bye now did you?" Sandra asked in her sweet voice.
"Hoped is more like it." Rafe smirked
"Gee love you too Rafe." Gooze said sarcastically
"Guys we're getting married!" Annaly squealed no longer able to contain her excitement.
"Oh that's so great Annaly." Caroline hugged her
"Alright congratulations." Mike shook Danny's hand, then turning his head to Sandra whom he had recently started dating he whispered "Don't get any ideas."
"You two better get going before you don't want to leave." Martha stated looking from Rafe to Danny.
Annaly wrapped her arms around Danny's waist once more.
"I love you."
"I love you too, Annaly get everything set and come out to Shelby." HE kissed her gently and cocked his head in the direction of the plane, Rafe nodded and they said final goodbyes.
The two guys walked toward the plane as their friends stood by watching. Danny buckled in the baby as Rafe started the engine. They took of not the sky neither really wanting to leave but both knowing it was right. They watched the group still standing to the tarmac continuing to wave as the shrunk more and more as the plane climbed to new heights. And then they couldn't even be seen anymore.
"Mr. Daniel James Walker." Annaly whispered as her fiancé disappeared into the clouds.