2nd chances

Chapter 29: leading up to the big question

AN/ A BIG BIG THANK YOU TO MY WONDERFUL BETA READER LOOPSTAGIRL FOR HER SUPPORT IN WRITING THIS STORY. CAN'T BELIEVE THE STORY IS COMING TO AN END NOW GUYS JUST ONE MORE CHAPTER TO GO. I BIG BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAS REVIEWED THIS STORY. PLEASE PLEASE R & R EVERYONE XX ENJOY THIS

In Virgil's point of view

Everyone had a really great lunch and Jo seems to be getting on with the rest of the family as well as I could have hoped for. I know it's been a few days but I just hope that she understands that I'm here for her now, that I am not going to run away from them. Jo and Robyn are both my life now. I know Penny is going home tomorrow so I want to ask Jo to marry me tonight. Penny will never forgive me if she missed that. No sooner had the thoughts crossed my mind when the object of those thoughts passed me in the hallway.

"Everything alright, Virgil dear?" Penny came to a stop where she was, gazing at me quizzically with that expression that made me feel like she could see straight through me.

"Yeah I am fine thanks." Deciding to admit to someone what was going through my mind, I pressed on. "I'm just a bit nervous about what I am going to do tonight."

"Don't tell me you are planning on asking my little sister to marry you are you, dear boy?" asked Penny, smiling at my astonished expression. I swear that woman could read minds or something.

"Yes. I am going to do it while she is here for a few days and I don't want to miss my chance with Jo this time."

"Well, my boy, I know that Jo is going to be thrilled by that. She may have done well with Robyn over the last five years, but it has been a struggle."

"It's just...with what we do..." I was studying the floor now, finding myself unable to look at Penny. I knew that I had spoken to my father about this, but still, I couldn't stop the doubts eating at me. "The chances are I might not come home...do you think...I mean..." Penny smiled sympathetically, cutting through my ramblings.

"I am sure she will be fine with it, Virgil. Talk to her about it, not me. And good luck tonight."

"Thanks, Penny." I smiled in gratitude. If Penny thought that Jo would be okay with it, then there was every chance that she would be.

Full of nerves, I found myself wandering towards the kitchen. I was thinking dinner on the beach, and then with any luck, timing the proposal with the sunset. The others might tease me about wanting to do this properly and romantically, but I don't care. I wanted to do this properly, and for that I knew that I had to get Grandma on my side. Her culinary skills were going to be needed. Luckily, I managed to time it that I just missed Jo leaving with Robyn.

"Now you have something on your mind." I had barely stepped through the door when Grandma pounced on me, all but dragging me over to the table.

"Yeah and I am really nervous about what I am going to ask Jo." I replied softy

"Are you telling me that you are going to ask that girl of yours to marry you?" Asked Grandma as she gave a wide smile and I think that she knew this was going to happen sooner or later. I know that telling Grandma about it, would be a lot easier for me because none of us can ever lie to Grandma. She just seems to know when something is going on, it's scary really.

"That is what I have planned Grandma. I know it's only been a few days, but I feel as if I want to be with Jo with rest of my life. Could you pack up our dinner so I can take it down to the beach with me?" I asked, the end part sounding slightly nervous. Without Grandma's help, I had no idea what I would do.

"Does Jo know anything about this?"

"No Grandma she has no clue, and I would quite like it to stay that way if I can." Grandma smiled, squeezing my shoulder.

"You will be fine sweetheart. Just speak from that lovely big heart of yours, I will even put some flowers and some candles with your dinner and help you set it up."

"Thanks Grandma, love you." I replied, giving her a quick kiss as I stand up, intending to making a move.

I head down to Dad's office because I want to tell him that I am hoping on asking Jo to marry me tonight.

"Hi, Dad." I opened the door slightly and stuck my head in, confirming that I wasn't interrupting anything before moving fully into the office.

"Anything wrong, son?" asked Dad, immediately stopping what he was doing and glancing up at me with a frown on his face. I was sure that I didn't sound that nervous, but apparently my father could hear things in my voice that I didn't know were there.

"You know I am hoping on asking Jo to marry me? Well..." I took a deep breath. "I want to do it tonight."

"Do you have a plan?" asked Dad quietly, watching me closely.

"I'm taking Jo down to the beach for dinner, then at sunset I am going to do it." We were cut off as Robyn arrived back, Jo in tow. I gave Dad a look that clearly said she knew nothing about it, and it was only the slight subtle dip of his head that I knew meant he had got the message.

"Hi Virg. We're not interrupting anything, are we? Robyn wanted to see you and your grandmother said you had come this way." Jo said, looking slightly concerned.

"Nothing at all, Jo. Actually, I think Tin-Tin might have been looking for you, said she had something to ask you?" It was the first thing that came into my head, and I just hoped the girl would be able to think on her feet. Knowing what she was like, she would know what I was up too.

"Oh, yeah, sure, no problem." Jo gave Dad a quick smile and backed out of the office again. I turned back to my father, grimacing slightly.

"Sorry about that, Dad. Had to say something. I don't really want Jo to know what I have planned for tonight." Dad smiled sympathetically.

"I know that feeling all too well, son."

"What don't you want Mummy knowing?" I jumped a foot in the air when I heard Robyn's voice from behind me. I had no idea she was still there, I thought she had gone with Jo.

"Nothing, Angel." I quickly gave her a hug, hoping it would be enough to distract her from what she wasn't supposed to have overheard. It worked.

"Granddad?"

"Yes, Robyn?" My father replied with a knowing smile. I could tell he knew that tone of voice. He did have five sons himself, after all.

"Did you know that Daddy gives the best hugs in the world?"

"Does he?" Dad's smile shot in my direction for a moment, and I grinned back, feeling my heart rate return to normal. Of all the things Robyn could have overheard, why did it have to be that?

"Hey does someone want to go for a swim?" My family seriously had to stop scaring me. No sooner had I recovered from Robyn still being there, Gordon comes all but sneaking in, startling me again. I guess it just shows how nervous about this I really was. Robyn's face immediately lit up though. She seemed to know who the question was being addressed at.

"Yes, please!"

Gordon glanced at me almost for permission and as I nodded, he held out his hand to Robyn. It felt so good to see her take it without hesitation and Gordon took her outside. I have to admit that I breathed a sigh of relief. With any luck, she would forget all about what we had just spoken about until it was too late.

"I know." I muttered, running a hand through my hair. I knew what I would be asking of Jo to ask her to marry me. I would be asking her to give up everything. The last thing that I wanted was to be put in the position of once again choosing between IR and Jo, but yet I was practically asking her to do the same thing. Would I have the guts to be able to leave this behind if she refused? Could I give up saving the world to be with her? Would she ask that of me?

Without thinking about it, I found myself wandering over to the window, staring out. After a moment of gazing at nothing, my eyes were drawn by movement down at the pool. Gordon was already in the water, Robyn on the side. Although her toes were hanging over the edge, I could see her reluctance to go in from here. As I watched, Gordon motioned something with his arms, a signal that I knew meant he was promising to catch her. Robyn still seemed reluctant, but eventually, she leapt from the side. True to his word, Gordon had his arms around her before she hit the water, and as I watched, a smile split across her face.

I found myself mesmerised by the scene as my usual prankster of a brother played around in the water with my daughter. It was clear he knew how to make anyone enjoy the water, and whilst Robyn eventually became more courageous, I knew that Gordon never let her go properly. I trusted him to keep her safe, but as I watched, I could tell that Robyn was slowly beginning to trust him with the same thing. She was accepting him as someone that was going to be in her life.

"Virgil?" My father's voice snapped through my thoughts as he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "It will be alright, son."

I nodded mutely, not trusting my voice as the enormity of what I was going to do came crashing back down over me.

"And good luck." And with those words, my father gave me a nudge towards the door, clearly telling me to get a move on if I wanted to put my plan into action and have everything in place.