Chapter 7 - Home, Sweet, Home

The fifth weekend I had to go to Alabama. I asked Sonja to come with me. She looked at me kind of funny. "Aren't you going to be working?" "Well, yeah" I responded "but I thought it would give you a chance to meet Momma." Then her eyes got big. "You're mother?! Are we that far in this thing that I should meet your mother?" "You know what they say, there's no time like the present, plus you already bonded over my dinner didn't you?" Chris, I don't know if I'm ready for that yet." "You'll be fine and anyway I already told her that you were coming." Sonja rolled her eyes at me and walked toward her bedroom. "You can run but you can't hide Sonja Percy." I said after her.

I gave her some space for a couple of hours then went into the bedroom only to find her asleep still in her work clothes. I spooned in behind her and quickly fell asleep myself.

I woke up hearing the shower and joined her to her seemingly dismay. Fortunately my charm won her over and I had to make her leave the bed an hour later so I wouldn't miss my connecting train to the base.

It was almost ten that night before I heard her come through the door. I would never tell her that I was getting worried. I asked her if she would like to take a bubble bath and let the tension out. After I drew her bath, I went into the other bedroom to call Rachel to discuss what we would be doing for the weekend. Sonja came to the door and did the cut at the throat sign.

"I thought that you would never get off that phone LaSalle. Now that you have me all relaxed, what are you going to do?" I didn't need to hear another word.

I had an examination on Friday and then went to the range with the rest of the class. Percy drove over in time to fire with me. One of the guys got to flapping his jaws and Percy ended up fleecing him for almost $300. He had no idea she was a crack shot.

We took a car service to the airport leaving her car in my lot. I couldn't believe that the first officer was a classmate of mine from 'Bama. The airline always alerts the crew when there are air marshals or other armed officers on board, so when he saw my name he was looking for me to board and invited Percy and I to view the cockpit.

My secretary had booked us First Class. Sonja put the armrest up and parked herself as close to me as she could get. I warned her to keep her hands to herself which she managed to do until she got into the limo after we landed. Things kind of got out of hand and Rachel with her ever efficient self, opened the door and got an eye full before Sonja and I got ourselves put back together.

I took Sonja to meet momma. I felt like the odd man out with the two of them as they quickly bonded with a lot of woman talk leaving me on the sidelines. Momma cooked my favorite bird for dinner. Sonja had never had pheasant before. It did fit into her diet palatte. She loved the greens. I didn't tell her that there was lot of pork in them.

After dinner, we walked down to the island where Cade and I had spent so much time as kids. She asked me if it hurt me being back here. "Why would you ask that?" "You must have brought the mermaid here didn't you?" "Yes, I did, but that seems like another lifetime ago."

"I wanted to bring you here because this is where Cade and I dreamed. I wanted to see the world and got as far as New Orleans. You're part of that dream Sonja. You do realize that I love you more than any woman I have ever known don't you?" She gasped and stayed silent for a long while. "That's a big word to use Christopher." Her saying my given name still makes my heart flutter. She took a step closer to me and I pulled her to me and put my arms around her. "I mean it Sonja. I have for a while. I could say that I was wounded when you left but it was a self-inflicted wound. I should have just told you how I felt about you and see where a relationship with you might go." I got quiet myself this time. My throat got dry and my mind got clouded.

"Come on dear, we need to get to bed. You have a long day tomorrow" she said. With that we turned and walked hand in hand in silence back up the hill.

We both hugged momma before we got back into the truck to go back to the farm.

When we got back to the room, we found that the maid had put candles into my bedroom. I lit them and when we came out our shower and sat down on the bed and I handed Sonja a box. Sonja I would be honored if you would be my wife. This wedding band belonged to my grandmother. I think that the marquise cut engagement ring will go well with it. I stuck the diamond on her finger and kissed her freely. We wrapped up into each other and went to sleep. I don't know when I had ever been that happy.