Chapter 25
"There was a boy and girl, both old enough to be running and playing tag with you and a baby in a swing hanging from one of the trees, too young to even be walking," Tom told her.
"Was the baby a boy or girl?" Mac asked.
"I don't know, the blankets were all white."
"And where were you in this family scene?"
He paused for a moment before answering her because he'd never even thought about why he hadn't seen himself in the picture. Could that mean he had been dead? But then he remembered the angle from which he'd seen his future family. "I was looking out on the scene from the patio. So I was probably making lunch on the grill," he told her with an assured smile.
Smiling in return, she asked, "Just how far in the future did this look like it was taking place?"
"Not very far at all! You looked very much like you do right now."
"After three children?" she questioned.
"Yes, you looked so happy too. It was as if a light had been lit behind your eyes. You seemed to glow!"
"It sounds wonderful, Tom. Do you have an idea on when you would like to get started on that future?"
"I'd vote for 'as soon as possible', but this needs to be a unanimous vote, Sarah."
"Then consider it so!" she assured him eagerly.
Tom hesitated a moment before speaking, he could see the eager happy look on her face, but he hadn't gotten to where he was in life without making sure he had all his facts straight. "Sarah, I want to be clear on this, did you just agree to marry me?"
"Yes, Tom, and to have those three lovely children you spoke of as well," she responded with a tender smile.
He let out a whoop of joy, jumped to his feet, grabbed her up in his arms and spun her around the room. "That's wonderful!" he exclaimed when he could finally speak again. "We could go ring shopping this weekend unless you want me to surprise you?"
"I think going together would be fun, and we could have lunch or dinner out somewhere, depending on how long the shopping takes."
"Perfect! How soon do you want to have the ceremony? Do you want a give big to-do or a private affair?"
"Tom, it's your wedding too! That's something we should decide together."
"As long as the end results in you being my wife, that is all that matters to me. So we could either be married by one of the Judges there at JAG, have something small here at the house, or even see when the Academy chapel might be free."
"I work at JAG every day and would like to have something a bit nicer than that, but either of your other suggestions sounds great. Once we decide on a date I could call the chapel to see what they have available. If they don't have anything that fits our time table we could have it here."
"How long do you think it will take to make all the arrangements?"
"Well, full scale weddings can take a year or more to plan, but since we both want to be married soon and don't want anything very elaborate, so I could probably get everything done in two months. How does that sound?"
"Like you're going to need a lot of help and I think I have the perfect recently retired military man to take on the job."
"Hmmmmm, I don't know…what does this recently retired military man charge for his services?"
"I'm sure appropriate arrangements could be made," he teased.
"Well, my fiancé is very old fashioned, and will probably want to wait until we are married to exercise his husbandly rights. But, since he doesn't expect me to be a virgin on our wedding night, I could offer myself as payment…"
"As exceedingly tempting as that is, Sarah, are you sure you wouldn't rather wait until we are married?"
"Tom, you already know that I was married many years ago. Plus there have been other men since then, plus you've never been married and I know that a man as handsome and virile as you are, is NOT inexperienced! Why do you feel that you need to offer to wait until we are married?"
"Because I want you to be completely certain that I respect you," he answered with sincerity.
"Oh Tom! I do know that!" she assured him while at the same time propelling herself into his arms.
To be continued…..