Chapter 21:

It was early evening and Janet and Eddie had spent the better part of the day in bed. They couldn't ignore the growls of their stomachs any longer so they decided it was time to get up and get something to eat.

Eddie said as he was pulling on his jeans and flannel shirt, "Hey what do you think about me going to get some subs at Murph's? I know you don't feel like cooking nor do I see any food in your fridge."

Janet just smiled knowing that what he really meant was beer and knew he was right. "Sure that sounds great… my usual?"

"Of course, I'll be back" He kissed her quickly and headed out the door.

Janet layed in bed for a few minutes just thinking over the last 24 hours. She couldn't believe that she was actually engaged to Eddie and that he was finally ok with the money that Dwayne had left her. She was more surprised by how he handled it. She felt so confident about her future because she felt so secure in Eddie's feelings for her for the first time in their entire relationship. She felt so lucky to have Eddie back in her life and also to have known and loved Dwayne as he was a big part of how she felt about herself now. She looked up and smiled. Her life was finally coming together.

She decided she should probably get up and get dressed. She put on a t shirt and a pair of shorts. She didn't feel the need to get fully dressed as they would only be hanging around the house tonight and then be going back to bed. It got her to thinking about how that was going to work now that they were engaged. Would he just live here until they could find their own house or just keep going back forth between the two? She figured they had time to talk about that along with when he was thinking about actually getting married. She would have to plan a wedding but she wasn't really all about the huge production that would have been Hannah's wedding. She sat down on the couch and thought "I don't have to figure any of this out tonight, I don't even have a ring yet so I suppose I don't really have to tell anyone for a while…but I should probably tell Hannah and Sully and of course my Grands." It seemed Janet's mind was on overdrive.

Janet got up and walked to the kitchen to get plates and stuff ready for their dinner because she knew that Eddie would be starving when he returned. When she got everything all ready she went back to the couch, sat down and turned on the TV. She was aimlessly flipping through the channels when her cell phone rang.

"Hello?" Janet said just opening it and now actually looking at who it was.

"Hey Janet, whatcha doing?" Hannah said rather cheerfully

"Hey, just flipping through the channels waiting for Eddie to bring back dinner I am starving." Janet said realizing it was true.

"So I haven't heard from you in a few days am I too assume that things are going pretty good with Eddie. Did you decide to tell him about the money or not?" Hannah was curious to see what was going on between them.

"Actually I did tell him and he was upset at first just as I thought he would be but Hannah it was amazing. He left but got no farther than the driveway and came back and talked to me about it. I know deep down that he is not happy about it but he does understand where Dwayne was coming from and he is smart enough to know that Dwayne isn't a threat to him in any way so he agreed to use the money for starting our life together, you know after we get married." Janet said that last part a little softer just adding to the surprise that she was sure Hannah would get from learning that last part.

Hannah sat there for a second before she said, "Did I just hear you right? You are getting married…to Eddie…OH MY GOD!" Hannah then started to scream.

"Yeah and you are first person I have told. I will tell you all about it I promise but I think Eddie just pulled up in the driveway so I'll talk to ya later, K?" Janet said quickly and then shut her phone. She got uneasy suddenly about saying anything but she wasn't really sure why.

Hannah just smiled and said, "yes we will! Love ya." With that Hannah hung up as well.

Eddie bounded up the stairs with subs from Murphs and a couple of grocery bags including chips, Janet's favorite cheesy puffs, popcorn and of course his favorite beer along with some other necessities for their existence.

Just as Janet suspected Eddie was starving so they sat down to eat immediately on the couch and Eddie seemed to be sitting as close to Janet as possible. She kept thinking to herself that this is just not happening. He just seems so different then he was before. She just couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"So what's with all the smiles there beautiful?" Eddie said with a smile of his own

"Just happy…You're pretty terrific…you know that right?" Janet said was a sassy grin

"Yeah I am…aren't I." Eddie joked playing along. He was so happy at this very minute he couldn't contain it. He had given up on this dream of being with Janet again so long ago that he felt like pinching himself to make sure it was real but there was one thing that he still had to do and was going to wait until after they ate to do it.

Janet laughed and snuggled into Eddie just a bit while they finished their subs.

As they sat there shortly after they finished eating just watching some TV and snuggling, Eddie suddenly said, "So when were you thinking you would want to get married?"

Janet looked at him like he was sick or something, "I hadn't really thought about it since you asked me like 5 hours ago."

"Well actually it was yesterday but the last time I asked you it was 5 hours ago and don't you girls have this stuff figured out when you're like 5?" Eddie laughed.

"Not all of us but after helping Hannah with her "almost wedding" I don't think I want to do all of that." Janet slowly drifted off into her thoughts.

Eddie moved Janet slightly on the couch so she was sitting with her back against his chest and his arms were around her waist. "Why didn't you like the idea of a big wedding?"

Janet thought for a minute and said, "No I just think for me I would like something a bit smaller scale. It was a big headache and looked where it got her."

Just then Eddie put his hands on top of Janet's and appeared to be wanting to hold them but instead Janet felt something slide onto her left hand ring finger. Janet looked down to find a gorgeous diamond antique engagement ring on her finger.

When Eddie had gone to visit with Janet's grands he told Edith of his plan to marry her if she would have him. He knew then that Janet was the one for him and if ever given the chance he would make her his wife. Edith of course was over the moon and knew that it may take some time but she felt in her heart that Eddie was Janet's true love and they would find their way back to one another. She told Eddie about this tiny jewelry store that she and Janet had gone to when Edith's wedding ring needed some repair. They had gorgeous antique looking sets that Janet seemed to be drawn too. There were two ring set that Janet actually pointed out to her grandma that must have caught her eye. Those are the ones that Edith described to Eddie. He stopped in at the jewelry store before heading to Hope in part to look around and see what they had but also to see if he could find the ones that Edith had described. He didn't really have a plan to buy one but when he saw one of the rings he was sure Edith described he knew that was the ring so he bought it instantly. He wasn't sure when he would need it but it felt good to have it none the less. When he went out to Murph's he made a quick trip to his house to grab it since he didn't have it when he proposed. By the look on Janet's face he knew she loved it.

Janet looked at the ring and was stunned. How could he possibly have known about this ring. She had seen it once when she was with her Grands and she absolutely fell in love with it. It was a white gold setting with diamonds in the band going down either side and it had one large diamond in the center surrounded by a circle of diamonds and just outside that outer circle were two more smaller diamonds one on each side of the larger stone just above the where the band began. It was so beautiful and unique. "There was no way that he could have known about this ring…unless" she thought

"Eddie this is the most beautiful ring…where did you get this?" Janet was peering into his eyes as if she knew exactly what had happened.

Eddie thought it was best to tell the truth. "Your grands told me about the rings you liked at that little jewelry store in Providence so when I left the nursing home before coming to Hope I stopped in there. I wasn't planning on buying anything but then I saw this ring sitting there and it looked just like the ring that Edith described so I knew it had to be yours." Eddie was looking at Janet to see what she was thinking.

Janet sat there for a second trying to absorb all of what he was saying. He bought her an engagement ring before he came to see her in Hope. He went to visit her Grands before he came to Hope. They hadn't talked in over a year yet he was so sure that she was the one that he went to talk with her Grands and bought a ring….ahhhh (as if a light bulb had gone off in her head) that was what that phone call was all about when Grands called about – she already knew Eddie was there. "Those two are so sneaky" she thought.

Janet looked at the ring again and turned to face Eddie. She took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. In that moment she knew she would never doubt how Eddie felt about her ever again.

After they spent several minutes kissing, Eddie leaned back and looked at Janet, "I am glad you like it. I told you Janet that if I ever had the chance to have you back in my life that that was what I wanted. You have no idea how lonely I was when you were gone. I used to come here and just sit for hours because I felt as though you were still a part of me when I was here. I had resigned myself to a live without love because no matter what I did or who I spent time with they weren't you. I poured myself into my work and filled my evenings with working late or hanging with the guys. But I gotta tell ya this is sooo much better." Eddie pulled Janet back into the position they had been in with her back against his chest.

Janet felt badly hearing about how he was living his life. She would never have left knowing that there was a chance for them to work it out. She always thought that what she had done would be unforgiveable to Eddie. She never thought for a second that he would ever want to be with her again. But she couldn't help but think that her time in Hope was good for her too because she was able to love herself again just as her grandma said and she needed to do that before she had any future with Eddie, she had to forgive herself.

Janet didn't move but she spoke softly, "You will never have to spend another day sitting on this couch alone in an empty house because I am here Eddie and I will never leave you again. That I promise you."

Eddie squeezed her so tightly after hearing that. She never turned but if she had she would have seen the one tear that fell down Eddie's face. She would never know exactly how much that statement meant to Eddie in that moment.

That is how they spent the rest of the evening, snuggling on the couch, eating popcorn or cheese puffs that Janet reluctantly shared with Eddie. It was a simple evening but one that both would remember always as the day they agreed to spend their lives together, no matter what life had to offer they would have each other.

The next day Eddie woke up first and was thankful that it was Sunday and he could sleep in since they both hadn't really gotten a lot of sleep over the last 4 days. It was late in the morning and Janet was still snuggled into him but he could tell she wasn't sleeping soundly since she had this enormous smile on her face.

"Hey there sleepy head, what do you want to today?" Eddie said wrapping his arms around his fiancée'.

"I was hoping that we could talk about where we are going to live? What are you thinking about that because I remember you distinctly saying that you wanted to sleep with me every night which would imply a certain living arrangement, wouldn't you agree?" Janet rolled over and smiled at Eddie.

Eddie smiled and kissed her, "You thought right. I was thinking about this and since you and I decided that we would like to find a new place for us to "create our own memories" I believe is how you put it that I could move in here until that time and then we'll move there and sell or rent out this place. Phil and Emily are living together now anyway so I am sure they aren't going to mind one less roommate. What do you think." Eddie felt pretty proud of himself.

Janet shook her head and laughed, "Well you have just thought of everything haven't you. In that case let's get a movin' – I've always wanted a roommate!" Janet said with a quick eyebrow raise. She tried to move but Eddie just grabbed her and kissed her. Clearly he had another plan. "We'll get to that in about an hour or so." And that was the last thing Eddie said.

They arrived at 32 Gelson a few hours later with boxes ready to tackle Eddie's room. Phil and Emily were on the couch watching TV. They knew that Eddie had reconciled with Janet, at least on friendly terms but had no idea about what they were about to witness when Janet and Eddie walked through the front door.

Eddie and Janet came in through the front door giggling and touching each other. Phil and Emily turned around and just stared at the pair. Eddie was the first one to speak.

"Phil buddy how is it going?" Eddie said almost giddy.

Phil hadn't seen Eddie smile in like a year let alone be giddy so he knew something had changed.

"Hey Eddie, hey Janet welcome home." Phil and Emily both got up and went to give Janet a hug.

"Hey guys, it is good to be home." Janet hugged them both.

"So what are you two up to today?" Phil asked.

"Well it looks like I'll be out of your hair after today." Eddie said happily and put his arm around Janet

"Are you moving into Janet's house? That's great Eddie." Phil was truly happy for his friend.

"No I am moving into my fiancées house." Eddie looked at Janet and gave her a kiss

"What? You are engaged? Oh My God!" Emily was screeching

"Yes we are getting married there pippy long stockings" Eddie said chuckling

"Let me see that rock" Phil suddenly saw the ring

Janet held out her left hand and showed Phil and Emily. Eddie was just standing there smiling.

"That is just great. I am happy for you both." Phil said genuinely happy

"Thanks Buddy but we got lots of packing to do today so we'll be upstairs if you need us." Eddie said and grabbed Janet's hand and they headed up the steps.

They reached Eddie's bedroom and Janet stopped just short of the door. Eddie felt her hesitate and he said, "What are ya doing?"

"I don't know…it has been so long since I've been here." Janet wasn't quite sure why she felt so apprehensive.

"Hey, listen no matter what's happened between us Janet, it's in the past. Our future starts today remember now lets get movin' – I got a hot new roommate waiting for me." Eddie winked at Janet and walked into his room

Janet just stood there and watched as Eddie began to fill the boxes with his clothes, the dirty ones on the floor and the others just thrown everywhere else…this was Eddie's room after all…but only for a few more hours. "Yes" Janet thought "this is really happening." With that Janet stepped forward and joined her fiancée in his room and they worked for the rest of the afternoon packing up his old life so they could begin their new life.