They arrived in Aeroporto di Firenze, Italy, jet legged, and tires, but happy, exhilarated.
Jenny was practically bursting with excitement, and frequently skipping as they pushed the carts through the Airport, to the Taxi spot, and the drive to her parents house seemed to take forever, but with Jenny literally jumping up And down in her seat, and Nick smiling and laughing, they barely noticed.
They passed many beautiful buildings and gardens, and even a few smaller museums, though they were quite difficult to see in the dark, and Jenny constantly chatting about everything they had to do while they were here:
"We have to go to the Ufizi, it's amazing! There are a million castles and palaces, we have to check them out, they're all so Romantic! We have to play tennis with my parents, they taught me, they're amazing!" And a million other things...
Nick was taken over by her enthusiasm and he loved Florence immediately, for making her so obviously happy.
When they pulled up to Jennys parents house, Nick was shocked.
He knew Jenny was a well brought up girl, first class, but he had no idea how rich her parents actually were, the lawn at the front of the house was pefect, no blade of grass taller that the majority, no flower out of place, there were two huge stone horses at the gates, it looked like a castle in its self, and Nick felt immediately out of place.
Jenny caught sight of his face and translated it correctly, "Nick, they aren't snobs, they're wonderful people, and they are going to love you, if only because I do!"
Nick tried to smile encouragingly, and apparently he fooled Jenny, who hopped out of the car, animatedly. Nick glanced at his watch, half past five in teh morning, he let out a big gust of breath and closed his eyes for a minute, he wondered if her parents would have waited up, and decided they probaby hadn't.
But who would? Not even his own parents, who were the most compassionate and wonderful people in the world, in his opinion, second only to his bride.
He watched as she lifted the suitcases out of the boot, with some helf from the driver, and hurried to help her.
She was still grinning, and Nick randomly wondered weather her jaw would eventually fall of with the weight of that smile, or maybe it was just his imagination that her smile was so side, and she was actually just smiling modestly.
Looking up at the Mansion, Nick was profoundly grateful to Abby and Sarah for persuading Jenny and Nick into all of those Coffee's. He was sure, that no matter what Jenny said, her parents would have taken an automatic dislike to him had he turned up with their daughter as drunk as god Knows what, he had heard that upper class girls didn't drink that much.
Jenny was his personal exception to that rule.
At long last, they had unloaded the last of the suitcases, and they stumbled towards the dor, each of them carrying too many for them, and Jenny's suitcases seemed to weigh the earth.
Nick was happy that Jenny apparently hadn't forgotten where her parents spare key was left, but then she explained.
"This morning, Mum called me, to wish me luck and send their love, and she also mentioned where she'd leave the key, just for tonight!" She laughed, and waved to the friendly, Italian cab driver as he backed out of the drive.
"God, do you think I should have given him a bigger tip? It's quite late...ealry...late?" She looked confused, andNick chuckled as they stepped through the door.
The inside was even more daunting that the outside, Modern but classy, the furniture in the openplan livin room, the first room of the huge hall, was black, the majority of the room was either red of black, and it looked incredibly expensive.
Nick gulped, theatrically, and Jenny rolled her eyes. She gestured to the cases, and Nick rolled his eyes this time, and Jenny had to stiffle giggles.
"Jenny, I doubt they'd hear you!" Nick said, but Jenny didn't laugh out loud.
They had to make several trips up the huge marble stairs with the cases, because that most certainly would have made too much noise.
By the time they dropped the last of Jenny's suitcases in the room that they were sleeping in, another monsterous hall, the whole of Nicks downstairs could have fit inside it, they were incredibly tired.
Nic pulled Jenny into his arms, and kissed her.
She smiled, and then yawned.
"Come on," She said, unbuttoning her blouse, which she'd changed into after the flight, "Lets go to bed!"
And who was Nick to refuse...