Note: We have now passed the halfway point! All cheer! *ahem* Sorry. *C & D stop patting themselves on the back* But it's true nonetheless – this chapter marks indeed the middle of our story. We promise you that (hopefully) things won't be going downhill from here on out, though. : ) Thanks for taking the ride so far with us, enjoy, and if you do, you know where to find the feedback box? DB/CR
Seasons To Remember
Chapter 15: A True Romantic
"Hey, this one's not sorted right," Ramon realized as he held up a picture that showed not their parents but Lynne and Jay posing in front of the Scott house. Lynne was wearing a stylish pants suit and holding a lovely bouquet of purplish flowers. "When was that?"
"Let me see …" Jay took the photograph from his friend and brother-in-law, recognizing the scene instantly. "Oh, that was taken the morning after our wedding."
"Which I missed because of that stupid airline strike in Mexico," Ramon grumbled. He'd been visiting relatives and because he'd thought it'd be quicker had deliberately flown down instead of driving – which, in hindsight, had been the worst choice of transportation he could have made. He'd been stuck at the airport in Mexico City for two days straight, with no chance of getting back home. Otherwise, wild horses couldn't have kept him away.
"I knew I'd seen the flowers before," Rachel commented.
Lynne had picked up the picture and looked at it with a fond smile. "Mom, you took this, didn't you?"
"Yes," Kat confirmed. "If I remember right, you were all set to leave on your honeymoon."
"Uh huh. Only, there was no way I was leaving without saying good-bye to Dad first."
Trini suddenly giggled. "Wasn't that when you told us about your oh-so-unromantic wedding proposal, Aunt Kat?"
"Unromantic? According to Dad, Uncle Jason was anything but," Ramon murmured.
"Of course," Jasmine exclaimed, ignoring her brother-in-law's comment as she started to grin broadly at the memory. To Ramon and Rachel, who hadn't been part of the family then yet and were looking slightly bewildered, she explained, "You see, Lynne here wanted to bring the flowers she'd carried as a bride to church to her Dad; we all went along to the cemetery, and that's when we heard the story ...."
~*~
Silent tears flowed down Kat's cheeks as she watched Lynne place her bridal bouquet on Jason's grave. She and Jay had gotten married the day before, and instead of tossing the beautiful flower arrangement to her friends, she'd decided to bring it here before the two left on their honeymoon. The whole immediate family on both sides had gathered alongside the newlyweds – Kimberly, Tommy and Trini, Kat, Jared and Oliver together with his fiancée, lovely Jasmine Park.
Lynne placed the bouquet just -so- until the delicate blossoms in all shades from palest pink to deepest purple rested against the black marble, creating a wonderful contrast on the lush grass.
"This is for you, Dad," she murmured. "I missed you more than ever yesterday; I so wish you could have been there with us."
"I'm sure he was, Sweetie," Kat whispered, feeling the pain of her husband's passing anew. Not that it ever quite left her. "I just know that Jason was watching you yesterday, from wherever he is right now."
Tommy cleared his throat, feeling rather choked up himself. He just had to say something light, or he'd start bawling all over again. He knew how much his best friend had wanted to walk Lynne to the altar when the time had come to give her into another man's keeping. Instead, both John Scott and Robert Hillard had shared that task.
"Yeah, he was probably sitting on his cloud, halo worn backwards like a baseball cap and boasting of how beautiful you looked as a bride. Telling every passing angel that it was his daughter floating down the aisle."
"Strumming his harp, too, no doubt," Jasmine ventured, recognizing the attempt for what it was and wanting to contribute. It hurt her to see her future family so sad. She'd hardly known Jason, as Adam and Tanya had lived on the East Coast for years before returning to California. She and the oldest Scott son had met at UCLA over a year ago, and their recent engagement was welcomed by both families. She was very much surprised, though, when her comment – along with the image Tommy's purposely silly remark had evoked – broke up the sombre mood quite effectively, with Tommy and the boys starting to grin broadly, Kim and the girls choking on rather shaky laughter and even Kat smiling through her tears.
"Jason? Hardly," the widow said. "He was an absolute dear, never minded my music when I practiced, but while he was a pretty good dancer, he couldn't carry a tune in a bucket."
"If whoever's in charge of the universe called Jason back so untimely early for his musical ability, they were in for a big disappointment," Kim agreed with a chuckle. "Not that it ever stopped him from singing, though."
"I remember," Lynne said softly, sharing a loving look with her brand-new husband. Their romance had started over just such a memory – when he'd comforted her for missing Jason's incessant (if off-key) carolling at Christmas. "I still wish I could have told him how much I've come to love Jay."
The young man kissed his wife's cheek. "And I wish I could have told Uncle Jase that I'll always take care of Lynne."
Kat leaned against Jared – at 16 already as tall as Tommy, and the only one of her children to have inherited her coloring. Oliver was the spitting image of his father, and Lynne combined Jason's dark hair with Kat's porcelain skin and blue eyes – a fact Jason had always been ecstatic about.
"He knows, I'm certain," Kat repeated. "And if I haven't told you before, he would have approved of you two getting married. Jason always liked, trusted and respected you, Jay. I doubt there's anyone else whom he would have thought good enough for his princess."
Lynne sobbed softly once at the reminder of Jason's pet name for her.
"Both of you have chosen well," Kimberly said, glancing fondly at her daughter-in-law. "In fact, when you all were babies your mom and I used to fantasize about our kids getting married to each other one day, especially as you were so close in age. Didn't we, Kat?"
"We sure did," the blonde woman smiled, opening her purse for a tissue. She dried her cheeks. "But of course Oliver had to choose elsewhere. Not that I mind, dear," she hastened to assure Jasmine. "Quite the contrary."
"No offense, Aunt Kat, but Oliver is too much like my own brother for me to ever fall in love with," Trini laughed before Jasmine could do more than smile a reply. "Bossy, opinionated, meddling, a veritable pain in the neck most of the time …"
"Hey!" Both Jay and Oliver chorused indignantly, to everyone's amusement. But Trini blithely ignored them.
"No, when I fall in love, it'll have to be with a true romantic – like Uncle Jase was. I can still remember all the lovely things he used to arrange for you on your anniversaries, Aunt Kat," she went on. "Like that dinner cruise along the coast one year."
Kat nodded, feeling fresh tears threatening. That had been Jason's gift to her on their fifteenth wedding anniversary and it had been truly memorable – they'd dressed up in evening clothes, there had been wonderful food, dancing, moonlight on the ocean … almost as perfect and magical as their original wedding day. Which reminded her of something else. A soft light lit up her blue eyes as she disengaged herself from Jared's hold and stepped to the headstone, wiping an imaginary speck off the smooth surface in a fond, very wifely gesture. They'd never told this story to anyone; should she reveal it now? A glance at Lynne decided her; her daughter's eyes were still misty and shadowed with loss when they should be glowing with love and pride like on the day before.
In the depths of her heart, Kat sent a mute question to her dead husband. You don't mind, do you, love? After six years of mourning him, she didn't care anymore whether it was a figment of her imagination or just wishful thinking, but she was sure she felt a sense of agreement wash over her from somewhere – as if Jason approved of her decision. It felt right.
"Actually, Jason wasn't always such an inveterate romantic," she ruminated almost casually.
"Sure he was," Kim protested.
"Yeah; he never showed it much, only to those people closest to him, but Jase was the original softie of the gang," Tommy added. "Nothing but a big teddy bear under all those muscles."
Jay nudged his best friend. "Better give me some pointers, Bro; I think I may need them later," he muttered under his breath. Oliver nodded while both Jasmine and Lynne couldn't suppress a slight conspiratorial smile. Their mates certainly seemed able to recognize a hint.
Katherine grinned almost impishly. "I didn't say he wasn't. It's one of the things I loved about him. But … girls … in a man/woman relationship, what would you say is about the most romantic moment until the wedding?"
Lynne, Trini and Jasmine looked slightly baffled. "When he tells you he loves you for the first time?" Jasmine suggested at last.
"When you realize it's for real?" Trini asked, on uncertain ground because it hadn't happened to her yet.
Lynne nodded. "Both – and of course when he proposes," she added, sharing a smile with Jay. Then, she lifted incredulous eyes to her mother. "Are you saying that Dad botched these occasions?"
"Just one," Kat confirmed. "I couldn't have wished for better memories than I have for the first two, but Jason's proposal … let's say it left a lot to be desired in the romance department," she divulged.
"So that's why you never told anyone," Kimberly exclaimed. "I've always wondered."
"Uh huh."
The petite woman planted herself in front of her taller friend, hands on her hips. "Well, girl, you better tell us all now," she ordered peremptorily, a challenge in her doe-brown eyes. "Or I'll sic Tanya, Aisha and Rocky on you to nag until you do!"
Kat pretended to shudder. "Anything but that! Very well, then." She looked at each eager face in turn, seeing the lively curiosity mingled with affection in her loved ones' eyes. It made it very easy to share this particular memory.
"It was on Boxing Day 2002; you know that December 26 is a holiday in Australia, right? Anyway, even though it's not the custom here, my father habitually took the day off to spend with family. Usually it was just the three of us – he, Mum and myself – but Jason and I had been dating for over a year, and I'd invited him to spend the day…"
~*~
Jason leaned back in his chair with a satisfied sigh as he placed his spoon in the empty crystal dessert dish.
"Thank you; this was excellent," he complimented his hostess. "You're a wonderful cook, Mrs. Hillard."
"I agree, Mum. This was one of the best Christmas dinners ever," Katherine added, smiling warmly at her mother.
"You're both quite welcome," the older woman replied, clearly pleased that her efforts in the kitchen were appreciated. "It was only leftovers from yesterday, but …"
Jason chuckled. "My grandmother Scott always used to say that a cook's real mettle showed in how she managed to make something out of nothing. This was certainly more than nothing – and if I may say so, you made something out of it alright!"
"Granny Agatha said much the same thing," Robert Hillard added. "Living in the outback as she did, inventiveness was a necessity for more than cooking."
"I can imagine," Kat replied, flashing back to her meeting with her ancestor during her quest for her Zeo shard. "From everything I heard, she was quite a woman."
"A character, more like," Robert said dryly. "For her time, she was very much advanced, or so my father used to tell me. Independent, sweet but strong-minded … one of the first women to drive a car, living by herself most of her life, expecting everyone around her to be the best they could be … I loved hearing stories about her, but to tell the truth, deep down she scared me to death!"
Doris Hillard laughed, along with Jason and Katherine. "Well, if she really was the way I've heard tell, she wouldn't approve of us sitting here with all the dirty dishes staring us in the face. I guess I better clear things up before I start the coffee, if that's okay with everyone?" She got up and began stacking dishes.
"Of course, Mum; we'll help," Kat agreed readily, reaching for the meat platter. "Jase, there's a tray next to the sideboard; will you bring the glasses?"
"Sure." Used to lending a hand, Jason stood as well, ignoring Doris's automatic protest. He smiled at the older woman, who had passed on both her lovely looks and gentle character to his girlfriend. "Don't worry; my mother would read me the riot act but good if I just sat around watching you and Kat work."
"We'll both help," Mr. Hillard decided, nodding to himself in quiet satisfaction. He'd expected nothing less from the friends his daughter had made here in Angel Grove – a well-mannered, polite crowd, all of them. And Jason certainly was no exception; he very much approved of Kat's choice in boyfriends. Come to think of it, Tommy Oliver was just like that, too. She has good taste in men, my little girl has. "You and Kat take care of what's left while Jason and I clear the table and set the dining room to order." He suited action to words, and soon all four were busily going back and forth with china, cutlery, dirty napkins and the like.
Mrs. Hillard was putting leftover turkey into Tupperware containers, her husband was scraping the plates and stacking them while Kat filled the sink with hot water, added detergent and began washing the stemware first. She smiled over her shoulder at Jason when he brought the tray with the delicate glass bowls and gave him a quick kiss.
"Thanks. I'll do those as soon as I'm done with the glasses. There are clean dish towels in the left-hand drawer over there; you can dry while I wash." She would never admit it out loud, not yet, but doing little domestic things like this with Jason filled her with quiet pleasure despite the mundaneness of the task. It made her feel quite … wifely. Especially since she'd scraped back her hair into a loose ponytail to keep it from falling into her eyes while she worked and had wrapped herself in an old pinafore to protect her winter-white sweater dress from getting soiled. She'd commented laughingly on the frumpiness of her appearance, but practicality had won out. At least Jason hadn't recoiled in horror as he'd seen her. Surely if he didn't mind her present appearance, it meant that he cared enough to eventually … Kat stopped herself from thinking further.
Don't go there, girl! Wait until he asks you – if he ever does!
"No problem," Jason agreed readily, wishing he could kiss Kat back – much more thoroughly than the peck on the cheek she'd just delivered. But while he knew she wouldn't mind, he was feeling just a little shy around her parents. Not that the Hillards were stuffy or anything, and he knew he was welcome in their house – even as Kat's boyfriend – but they were just a tad more formal than his own parents. Not enough to make him uncomfortable in any way, and he'd certainly learned enough about proper etiquette through Kim and Trini and his time at the Peace Conference, but Jason doubted that smooching publicly with the daughter of the house was quite acceptable. After all, they were supposed to be responsible adults now, not teenagers anymore in whom such behaviour might be overlooked.
If our relationship was official, it might be different, he mused. I wish I knew how Kat feels about this. Sure, we're getting along great and I know I love her, but we haven't been dating all that long yet. What if she needs more time? What if she's still not quite over Tommy? Or what if she's decided to give up on teaching and go back to touring for another year, or even move back to Australia, to accept that offer from the Sydney Opera? I don't want her to go away again, not when I've just realized she's the one for me …
Those were the thoughts running through Jason's mind as he finished with the crystal and reached for the first of the dripping plates, trying to find a dry corner on his towel. Deciding he would have to get a fresh one after he was done, he grimaced as he wiped the delicately-patterned china.
"Of all the chores Mom made me do around the house, I detest doing the dishes most," he muttered.
Doris laughed. "I hear you. But for all that, you polished the crystal very well; the glasses positively sparkle." She handed him the tray with the clean glassware, to carry back to the dining room cabinet.
"Thanks," Jason grinned, grateful that his small grumble was accepted so easily. Carefully, he balanced the heavy tray, not wanting to break anything. He took a step towards the door. "But I know one thing – as soon as Kat and I are married, I'll buy her a dishwasher," he said over his shoulder.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Jason froze in his tracks and wanted to bite his tongue. I can't believe I said that! Closing his eyes, he counted to ten, then, as if in slow motion, he turned back.
The cheery clatter in the kitchen came to a sudden halt as three heads swivelled in his direction. Kat let the bowl she was rinsing sink back into the sudsy water with a small splash, her blue eyes widening with surprise. Had she heard right?
Doris and Robert exchanged an incredulous glance. The older man cleared his throat. His grey eyes suddenly bore into Jason's dark ones.
"Did … did you just say married???"
Jason felt his face heat up. He gulped once, suddenly afraid he might have ruined the very thing he wanted most. He didn't dare look at Kat, fearing she'd kick him out there and then, but he met her father's sharp look without flinching as he deposited his load back on the kitchen table and fought the urge to hide his suddenly shaking hands.
"Yes, sir." His deep voice was deceptively calm, not betraying anything of the quaking he was feeling inside.
"You … you want to marry my daughter?!?"
A sudden calm came over the broad-shouldered martial artist. He squared his shoulders and stood very straight, seeking out his girlfriend's face. It was up to her now.
"If Kat will have me," he replied simply. Please, God!
"Kitty???" Doris breathed, incredulous and more than slightly stunned at this unexpected development. The old pet name from Kat's childhood rose instinctively to her lips. This was her baby they were talking about; she couldn't possibly be old enough to be thinking of marriage yet! Could she? Doris looked back and forth from Kat to Jason, like a spectator at a tennis match, trying to gauge if it was true.
Katherine just looked at Jason, trying to read his eyes. In the dark depths, gazing at her so steadily from across the room, she found everything she'd ever hoped and dreamed of. Her cheeks slowly suffused with a pink blush as her pulse sped up to impossible heights, while at the same time her heart filled with a peace and surety she'd never known before. Her own eyes took on a deep sapphire hue and she heard herself answer as if from a great distance.
"Yes, of course."
Both young people slowly exhaled breaths they hadn't been aware of holding. The dies were cast – and they'd both won. Now that the immediate surprise was wearing off, they were both hard-pressed to keep silly, fatuous smiles off their faces. Thankfully, they were aided by Mrs. Hillard's exclamation.
"But I had no idea …!"
Kat lowered her lids demurely. "We haven't talked about it to anyone yet," she murmured, hoping that the slight tremor in her voice wouldn't be noticed.
Like, to each other, was what she thought.
"We, ah, we wanted it to be a surprise," Jason added, sounding a bit unsteady now, too.
And nobody's more surprised than me. Well … and Kat.
"Well, it's a surprise alright," Robert grumped, but it was easy to tell that he wasn't really displeased with the news. "I guess this means we break open the champagne I put on ice for New Year's Eve a few days early."
"Oh my, yes," Doris gushed, hurrying to the sink and pulling her daughter into a fierce hug. "Kitty, I'm so happy for you! Congratulations!"
"Thanks, Mum," Kat smiled, feeling giddy all of a sudden. She wanted to hug her mother back, but her hands were dripping with dishwater. She held them out awkwardly and mock-scowled at Jason, who shrugged minutely and managed to look both very sheepish and glad.
"Why don't we finish up quickly here and then Jase can call his parents? I think they ought to be here to celebrate with us," she suggested, taking pity on … her fiancé?
Oh, yes!
"Of course they'll have to come. And if you ladies don't mind finishing without us, I believe Jason and I ought to have a talk," Robert announced, placing a firm hand on the young man's back and steering him towards the living room.
"Uh-oh," Jason muttered, sending Kat a slightly apprehensive look which she answered with a brilliant smile and encouraging nod. Marginally reassured, he followed Mr. Hillard. He knew he had nothing really to fear; while he couldn't offer Kat great riches, he was secure enough in his chosen profession to be well able to afford a wife and – eventually – a family.
~*~
Things went very fast after that. There really wasn't all that much to talk about between the men; after all, Kat's father had known Jason for several years already and was aware of his financial situation and most of his plans for the future. He just wanted to make sure, like any good father would, that his daughter's husband-to-be was honest about his feelings. Jason certainly was that.
Kat and her mother finished cleaning the kitchen in record time, then Mrs. Hillard went off to fix her hair and wardrobe before the senior Scotts arrived. Katherine – sans ponytail and pinafore once more – was fixing a coffee/tea trolley in expectation of their arrival, when Jason snuck back into the sunny kitchen. He paused by the door, looking at Kat with an indescribable expression on his face. To his mind, she'd never looked lovelier than she did now, wearing a tea-length slim skirt with matching turtleneck shirt, the only decoration a waist-long necklace of pale pink rose-quartz beads – his Christmas present to her.
She straightened from what she was doing and returned the look with interest, watching outwardly dispassionate as he blushed almost as red as the cashmere polo shirt he wore.
Jason swallowed hard; he knew he'd messed things up, even if they had turned out so very right after all. "Uh, Kat, I …" he rubbed his hand across his chin, at a loss for words.
With just a hint of exasperation, Kat shook her head.
"You know … like most girls, I've had my fantasies of how and when I'd get my first marriage proposal," she said almost casually, moving slowly towards him with gently swaying hips. The movement seemed to mesmerize Jason, who could hardly tear his eyes off her. It made Kat feel just the tiniest bit smug as she stopped maybe three feet away. "But of all the scenarios I envisioned, none came even close to what happened."
Jason blushed even deeper.
"I'm sorry," he murmured. "Trust me, I didn't mean to blurt it like that, either. It just sort of slipped out before I could stop myself."
"Why?"
"Because I was thinking about it at the time," he admitted. "Or more precisely, I was thinking that I didn't want to lose you – ever. Not to another guy, to touring or you moving away. You're not going back to Australia, are you?" Jason asked, suddenly anxious.
Slowly, the blonde dancer shook her head no just once.
"I don't believe in long-distance engagements," she stated simply, gratified at the breath of obvious relief Jason let go.
"Neither do I."
The two stared at each other. Finally, Jason closed the last bit of distance between them. He took her hand in his, kissed the back, then held her palm against his cheek. Kat could feel the first traces of five o'clock shadow on his skin and fought the temptation to run her fingers through his short dark hair.
"Did you mean it?" Jason asked in a low voice, the loving timbre sending a shiver down her spine.
"Mean what?" she queried back, her own voice slightly throaty with emotion. Their eyes were locked together as if each was trying to look to the very bottom of the other's heart and soul.
"When you said yes."
"Uh huh. Did you?"
Jason never answered. He simply pulled Kat into his arms and kissed her, his lips saying everything that needed to be said and what she wanted to hear without a single word spoken between them. Kat replied in kind, melting into his arms as if she had always belonged there.
Only the need for oxygen eventually managed to break them apart. More than a little breathless, Jason buried his face in her flaxen hair.
"I love you, you know that?"
"I was hoping you might. Because it's mutual," she whispered, feeling light as a feather with happiness, snuggling as close as she could.
I wish I could translate this into a dance! But the thought was fleeting; she very definitely did not want to be on a stage right now, but in Jason's strong embrace, close to his heart which beat in his broad chest in time with hers. Suddenly, said chest began to rumble and vibrate. Surprised, Kat raised her head from Jason's shoulder. He was … laughing?
"What's so funny?"
Jason tried to compose himself, but another chuckle escaped him. Ruefully, he kissed the rosy lips once more.
"I don't even have a ring to give you," he admitted. "I forgot to ask Dad to get it from the office safe on his way here."
"You already bought a ring?" Kat wondered.
"No, not bought – it's a family heirloom I hope you'll like," Jason explained. "I always thought it'd suit you perfectly – an Art Deco design. Some sort of stylised flower, with tiny pearls, diamond splitters ... and opals."
Kat flushed with pleasure. "Australian opals?" she hoped, smiling brilliantly when he nodded. "Oh, I'm sure I'll love it!"
"Yeah well, I just wish I had it with me right now," Jason sighed, then grimaced comically as he leaned back in for another kiss. "Can anything about our engagement go more wrong?" he murmured against Kat's lips.
As if on cue, a car door slammed shut outside the Hillards' house. The two heard the front door open and Doris greeting Helen and John Scott. Jason groaned and closed his eyes, resting his forehead against Kat's.
"I need to tell my folks their timing absolutely stinks," he groused. "I can't even kiss you in peace!"
Beginning to laugh helplessly, Kat stopped him with a gentle fingertip against his mouth.
"There'll be other times," she promised with a look that made his blood simmer.
"There better be!"
Reluctantly, they separated, but continued to hold hands as they moved towards the door. Just before they left the kitchen, Kat sent a teasing glance towards her fiancé.
"About those 'other times' we just mentioned ...?"
"Yes? What about them?" Jason asked, somewhat baffled.
"You'll get them," she promised with a sultry look. "On one condition, that is."
"I'll get your ring out of the safe and bring it to you first thing in the morning," he assured her. "Or even tonight, if you want."
"Oh, I'm not worried about the ring," Kat said airily. "I trust you on that."
Confused, Jason shook his head. "Then what?"
"You better not forget about that dishwasher!"
~*~
"And he didn't," Kat concluded her tale. "I had one right from the day we got married."
Her audience laughed appreciatively.
"Oh, that's so sweet, Mom," Lynne sniffled, smiling through the remnants of her tears. "Thanks for sharing this with us!"
Kimberly shook her head in disbelief. "I'd have expected something like that from Rocky maybe, or even Tommy or Zack, but certainly not Jason," she huffed, ignoring her tall husband's protest. "Did Jase ever really ask you to marry him?"
Solemnly, but with a twinkle in her blue eyes, Kat moved her head from side to side in an unmistakeable 'no'.
"No wonder you never told anyone!"
"Why wouldn't you though?" Jared wondered. He was too young to understand yet, so his sister, future sister-in-law and Trini spared him anything but slightly pitying looks. He wasn't so lucky with his older brother, though. Before he could duck out of the way, he'd earned himself a noogie. "OW!"
"Behave, boys," Kat said automatically, using a tone she – and every mother in the world – had perfected years ago.
"Blockhead," Oliver chided his sibling with brotherly affection.
"Yeah, don't you know anything?" Jay asked, feeling immeasurably superior as a married man of one day.
"No, and if nobody tells me, I'll never learn!"
"Be nice, boys," Jasmine and Lynne literally chorused, causing a fit of giggles in both young women. The older generation smiled indulgently. Finally, Tommy took pity on the youngest Scott.
"Think, Jared. Haven't you realized yet that for the important occasions in their lives, women want to look their best – want everything to be just perfect?" he asked the youngster gently.
Having recently lived through his sister's wedding preparations, Jared groaned and nodded. "Oh, right! Duh!"
Katherine smiled nostalgically. She was still touching Jason's grave marker, as if that brought her closer to him.
"Exactly. In my fantasies, I used to picture moonlight, soft music, elegant clothes and just Jason and myself. As it turned out, I got dirty dishes, soapy hands, a pinafore as old as the pyramids, and my parents as an audience instead."
"How … unromantic," Jasmine snickered, torn between laughter and pity on her mother-in-law's behalf.
"That's what I said," Kat replied, very much unruffled. "And very much not like Jason, even then. But you know something? I wouldn't change it if I could." She nodded once, leaving her memories in the past and returned to the present with a will.
"And speaking of change – isn't it high time you two got to the airport?" she asked Lynne and Jay. "Or do you want to spend your honeymoon here?"
Lynne cast one glance at her watch, squealed in horror and tugged her husband away from Jason's grave towards the exit and the cars, their respective siblings giving chase immediately.
"Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad! Bye, Uncle Tommy/Aunt Kim," floated back towards the three friends, who followed their offspring at a more sedate pace. Just before a bend in the road took it from her view, Kat looked at the headstone once more. Unconsciously, she rubbed the delicate stylised lily blossom she still wore together with her wedding band, the three scintillating opals smooth under her fingertips.
"Good bye until next time, love. Thank you for giving me a beautiful,
unique memory. And the dishwasher."
To Be Continued …