I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS STORY BESIDES THE OC'S.
Leanna's Point of View-
I must have slept real good because I woke up to a knock at the door as I slightly opened my eyes unsure I just heard the knock or not.
"John, I think someone is at the door." I whispered as I heard John groan.
"Who is it?" John asked loudly.
"Its mom, I got coffee and some toast for you guys." She said as I sat up.
"It's open mom." John said as the door opened, John sat up rubbing at his face.
"Good morning…John said you like vanilla creamer in your coffee and little Joseph said how much you like…" His mom said as I nodded as she set the tray with the cups and plate of toast onto one of the stands before she handed me one of the coffee cups.
"Thank you so much." I said as I gladly accepted the cup of coffee.
"Thanks mom….is everybody here yet?" John asked.
"Nope, told them not to be here until two but your dad and brother are out back trying to start that dang grill…you always had the magic touch if you want to go help them." His mom said as he nodded in agreement as he took the cup his mom was then handing him before he took a sip of it. "Whenever you guys are done getting freshened up and everything, we'll be waiting." She said as she handed John the plate with four slices of toast with jam on it. His mom headed back out of the room pulling the door shut behind her leaving us to drink and eat the stuff she had brought in for us.
"Your mom didn't have to do that." I said.
"She does that every time I come home, expect it to happen tomorrow." He said as I chuckled as he held the plate towards me grasping a slice of toast and began eating it, it was oddly quite nice to sit in bed with my boyfriend eating breakfast in bed with coffee and being served it instead of going to go cook it. After we had finished up our coffee and toast, we put the things back onto the tray before I grabbed a new outfit for the day. "You can use the shower up here, when you are done come on down and I'll go wash up." John said as I nodded as I knew exactly what bathroom he was talking about.
"What about a towel?" I asked curiously as John nodded as I stood there waiting as he went and retrieved me a towel. "Thanks." I said.
"No problem sweetie." John said as he leant forward capturing my lips in a kiss as I slid past him to go into the bathroom taking a quick shower in case anyone needed to use the bathroom and I went back to the bedroom John and I were staying in to put my clothes back into the suitcase before I applied deodorant and ran my brush through my hair before going downstairs to find John, Joseph, and his mom in the kitchen.
"Morning mom." Joseph said.
"I hope you don't mind, but I put him in a swimsuit that one of John's nephew's had outgrown…the boys wanted to do water guns and balloons today." John's mom said.
"Yeah, that's fine but unsure if he can get any of his casts wet." I said as I leant against the edge of the island.
"If anything happens, I have a doctor in town that will fix it and is my doctor." John said as I nodded hoping we wouldn't have to come to that. "I'm going to go shower up…." John said as I nodded as he came over giving me a kiss before he slid past me to go upstairs.
"John says you are in the army." John's mom asked again as I nodded.
"Yeah, used to be more active duty but now more of an office person." I said.
"She went to war and played with guns." Joseph said happily.
"Did you?" John's mom asked.
"Yeah, did two different terms…" I said nodding as I ran a hand through my hair.
"Is that why last night I…" She began to say.
"Joseph, why don't I take you outside?" I said as I looked to John's mom.
"Yeah, this is an adult conversation." John's mom said as I carried Joseph outside as Sean picked Joseph up and began playing with him before I came back inside.
"I have PTSD and at nights I do have nightmares, and to be honest with your son, he…he makes them not so bad and I haven't had any when I've slept with him…" I said as I then realized how bad that sounded, "Oh, not like slept with him as in…I mean, wrapped in his arms." I said feeling myself get embarrassed as she began to laugh.
"It's fine…I knew what you meant…last night I heard you like whimpering like you were having a night mare…." She said.
"Yeah, they aren't as often but John usually tightens his grip on me or whispers or does something to reassure me he is there and they go away, myself and my therapist don't know what it is that John has that does this." I said shrugging.
"Do you experience anything during the day, like any triggers? Like with the water guns?" His mom asked.
"Water guns, no, but I do have some things I try to avoid that may trigger flashbacks and such." I said nodding. John's mom spent a few minutes asking me questions about war and injuries and such before she moved into more personal questions like where I lived and previous boyfriends and diseases I had besides PTSD, questions I'm sure I would ask any girl my son brought home to try to get a feel for them so I couldn't really complain but we had found a respect for each other because we were laughing and she had told me stories about herself meeting John's dad's parents and stuff like that to make me feel better. It was nice just getting to know his mom more personally. I helped her carry the stuff I had helped her prep outside to set down on the table along with her carrying the meat to the grill as John grasped my hand tugging me to stand beside the chair he sat in.
"May I have a kiss?" He asked as I rolled my eyes as I leant over giving him a kiss.
"Where's my son?" I asked.
"He's off riding the four wheelers with my brothers and stuff…" John answered as I nodded, "And don't worry, he's on the same bike as Matt and he's the best driver around." John said as I nodded as he pulled me to sit on his lap. I watched as the four-wheelers rolled up and heard the engines going.
"Leanna, you want to try?" Steve asked as he took his helmet off and stood up.
"Yeah, come on baby, let me take you for a ride." John said as he rubbed at my back as I looked at him unsure if I should do this.
"Mom, its fun!" Joseph said as he barely had his fingers wrapping around the bars due to the casts.
"I'll go as long as you don't kill me." I said as John chuckled.
"I won't kill you, I promise." John said.
"You can take my bike…." Steve said as he climbed off his bike.
"Thanks bro." John said as he led me over to the bike we were to ride and Steve handed John the helmet. "You can wear this." John said as he turned and slid the helmet onto my head.
"What about you?" I asked.
"I'll be fine…" John said as I let out a sigh unsure if I should trust him with that but he has done this before as I slid onto the four-wheeler and he climbed onto the bike behind me letting him wrap his arms around me to grab the handlebars and let him have total control over the bike. "I got a special spot to show you and to take you to." John whispered as I was unsure what that meant but he knew where he was going or doing and I couldn't really tell him no. He drove the bike down the road and he went off a dirt road and stopped beside a lake.
"What's this?" I asked curiously as he shut the four-wheeler off.
"I come here every time I'm home…it is peaceful here and lets me clear my head." John said as he climbed off the bike and helped me off as I slid the helmet off as I set it onto the four-wheeler as he grasped my hand leading me over to sit on a giant rock. John sat on the rock pulling me back to lean against him as we just watched the ripples of the water and the sounds it made, hearing random mosquitoes buzzing along with fish that decided to jump out of water that would scare me every time.
"I can see why, it's so calming…" I said as I snuggled closer to him.
"Well, that isn't why I came here…." John said as I turned to look at him.
"Then why'd you bring me here?" I asked curiously as I looked over my shoulder at him.
"Can you get up for a minute?" He asked as I nodded as I stood up to let him do whatever he wanted to do. I stared at the lake crossing my arms over my chest taking in a deep breath before letting it out. "Leanna." I heard John say as I turned around to see John down on one knee.
"John get up, you don't want to do this." I said knowing what was to come shaking my head no but yet tears of happiness were coming from my eyes.
"No Leanna, I know what I'm doing…." John said as he grasped my left hand holding it with his left hand as his right hand exposed a small black box as I was biting at my bottom lip trying to hold back tears. "Baby, don't cry." John said as he slid to his feet letting go of my hand and wiped at the tears rolling down my face.
"You don't want to be with me…" I said shaking my head no as I stared up into his blue eyes.
"Yes I do…forever and ever…I can't picture my life without you or Joseph...I want us to be together, forever and to make us official…let me please change your last name…give you the wedding you always dreamed of…to protect you and to be with you…please just say yes…" John said as I looked up at him, "I haven't lied to you before, I won't start now…" John said as I nodded.
"Yes John….I will marry you." I said as I swallowed as much as I could of the cry ball as John smiled, he leant forward capturing my lips in a kiss as he smiled.
"You just made me the happiest man in the world." John said smiling as he opened the small box exposing the ring. "This ring has been in my family for generations…my dad wanted to give it to my brother but he isn't in a serious relationship and my mom said it was okay…it'll probably be passed down to Joseph or if we have any other sons…" John said as he pulled the ring out of the box before he shut it sliding it back into his pocket.
"I feel honored…the ring is so pretty…John…I hate you but I love you." I said as I hated that he made me cry of happiness, hated him for being dumb enough for wanting to be a part of my family but yet loved him for making me so happy and proposing to me. I pulled John into a hug, and it was a tight hug too, his arms snaked around my waist feeling him hold me tight to him and he kissed at the side of my head.
"I love you babe." John said in a whisper as we stood there wrapped in each other's embrace for what seemed like forever. "We should get going before we end up not being able to get any of the hot food." John said as he stepped back from my embrace.
"John….I got one question and one demand before I accept this…" I said pulling the ring that he had slid onto my finger off.
"What?" John asked.
"Well two things…"
"Just spit it out, you are making me nervous." John said.
"One, you promise me that this is legit and a couple years down the road you decide you are tired of my freakish family and health issues and with my son's health issues…" I said.
"I will never leave you, never ever…I won't commit to something if I had any doubts…" John said as I nodded as he grabbed the ring from me and held it at the end of the finger, "The second thing?" John asked.
"You adopt Joseph as your son. He needs a dad, even with you marrying me you will be a father to him but I want you do to the paperwork to make it legal." I said as John smiled sliding the ring onto my finger as far as he could.
"Just tell me where to sign and it's done." He said as I smiled wide as he leant forward capturing my lips, "I couldn't think of not wanting Joseph as my son." John said as I smiled, "Now, my fiancé, let's get home so we can eat and beat my brothers at a water balloon fight." John said as he captured my lips in a kiss.
"Let's go…." I said smiling as he held my hand as we walked back to the four-wheeler where he helped me onto the machine and watched as he slid the helmet onto my head as he climbed behind me and let him do the driving back to his house. We arrived to the house, the family were all standing pretty much facing us as if they were waiting for us to return, Matt was holding my son and I could see John's mom and a couple of the other girls covering their mouth as if they were waiting for the news. "They knew?" I asked as I turned to look at John as the bike came to a stop and he turned it off.
"I kind of asked for their permission last night, I kind of left you alone for a few moments until I heard you whimpering and snarling…" John said.
"So, did they approve?" I asked as he smiled before he reached out pulling the helmet off my head.
"What do you think? How else would I have gotten the ring?" John asked as he slid off the bike and helped me off. John and I walked a few steps closer to the group of people holding hands.
"The anticipation is killing us." Sean said loudly.
"She said yes!" John said as he showed the ring that was on my finger as we both smiled, I felt myself blush and covering half of my face with my hand as the family was hooting and hollering with excitement.
"This calls for celebration…here bro!" Scott said as he went over to the cooler pulling out a can of beer tossing it towards John and he caught it with his free hand.
"Thanks…." John said.
"What about for you?" Scott asked nodding towards me with a beer can in hand.
"No thanks." I said shaking my head no as Scott nodded.
"Well, come on up here….food is ready and we were waiting to eat until you guys returned." John's dad said.
"I'm starving!" Joseph said as we all chuckled as John and I walked closer waiting in line that the family formed to get food and we gathered around a table to get sides or put toppings onto the hamburger or hot dog that we had snatched at the grill. Matt had done his and Joseph's plate, it was kind of nice having more than just John and I around because it was like live-in babysitters and they all didn't seem to mind. Everyone was scattered around, Matt was in one seat with my son on his lap along with a couple people leaning against the railing of the porch, others sitting on the coolers or in the chairs that were set out.
"You can sit on my lap." John said as I looked over at him as he slid into a chair that was vacant and I was nervous about doing so.
"It won't break, after half the shit the boys put these chairs through, trust me." John's mom said as all of John's brothers and John laughed as I went over sitting on John's lap
"Can you still eat?" I asked as I looked over at him.
"Absolutely…maybe I can have you for desert later." John said before whispering the second part.
"We'll see." I said as he smirked as he pressed a kiss to my shoulder before we sat there eating our meal laughing and chatting with his family until water balloons and water guns were brought out. "Do you got plastic bags I can put over Joseph's casts?" I asked towards John's mom.
"Absolutely, I'll go get them." She said as she headed inside and returned with four plastic bags as she helped me slide them over my son's limbs to protect the casts as much as they could.
"Come on bud, let's go get Dan." John said scooping Joseph up handing him a filled water gun and John carried a bucket of water balloons with his free hand as he ran around the back yard with Joseph watching my son laugh and scream with excitement when he got wet. I stood on the porch watching the antics that were taking place on the grassy backyard.
"Are you sure you want to marry into this? We are a little crazy." John's mom said as she stepped beside me as she sipped at her drink. I looked over at her smirking before looking back at the yard seeing Joseph sitting on Steve's back as John was wrestling with his brother.
"It's not that crazy…it seems like fun…" I said smirking.
"How big of a family do you have?" She asked.
"I'm an only child so Joseph doesn't have much of a family…" I said honestly as I crossed my arms of my chest before we moved to the table where her and I chatted about family lines and ancestors, I just couldn't come to tell her or them that Joseph wasn't my biological son. It was weird she was already making plans and asking me information I am supposed to know about the wedding John and I would have even though we just got engaged. After the water fight had came to an end, I held onto Joseph at an arm's length out so I wouldn't get wet as John went inside grabbing a towel wrapping my son up in it before John pulled Joseph into his embrace sitting in the chair next to the one I had claimed.
"Anyone want a beer?" Steve asked as he pulled the cooler open.
"Toss me one." John said as he stuck a hand out to catch the can and he did with one hand, "You want one babe?" John asked as he looked to me.
"No thanks….do you have water?" I asked.
"Steve, toss the girl a water." John said as Steve nodded and tossed me a plastic water bottle that I caught.
"Thanks." I said as he nodded before he sat down on the now closed cooler as we all began chatting and laughing as Joseph was wrapped in a towel leaning back against John's hard frame, he was cute and I knew John would be a great dad and hell, he was a great dad right now and he isn't even married to me nor adopted Joseph yet. It was getting darker and darker out, I watched as John's brothers and dad gathered logs and started a bon fire of sorts on their back yard causing us all to move around there.
"Who wants to make S'Mores?!" John's mom asked as she walked out of the back door of the house.
"I do!" Almost every kid yelled including my own son. I grabbed a couple of the sticks for John, Joseph and I.
"Joseph and I can share one…we can make two marshmallows on one, huh bud?" John asked looking to my son who nodded. I put one back and handed John one of the sticks as the bag of marshmallows was passed around and we each grabbed the proper amount of marshmallows before sticking it into the flame as I brought mine out watching as the flame was burning at the white substance before I blew hard enough to get the flame out. "Blow…" John said as Joseph blew on the two white substances that were burning and Joseph giggled before he blew at it again.
"He may need a little help." I said chuckling as I picked up the graham crackers that I had set out with chocolate for John, Joseph and I, grabbing just enough for one sandwich as I squished my marshmallow when John did just that as he helped Joseph with the making of his S'more before John fed it to him and he had more of the melted marshmallow and chocolate scrapings and crumbs around his mouth, which I couldn't say much because most of the other kids had the same problem. We sat there around the fire for a while when John's cousin brought out his guitar hearing them sing songs and Joseph smiled and was slowly falling asleep on John's lap. "I think it's time we call it a night…" John's dad said as we all looked around seeing most of the children already asleep as us grown-ups chuckled.
