Chapter Fifteen: Announcement Part I

It was late in the evening when Liz climbed tiredly out of Charlie's car and followed him up the steps to the big lake house. They'd been at the hospital all afternoon, waiting for the delivery and then stayed well past dinner-time cooing over Baby Tom and taking turns getting to hold him. Now, the family had come home, leaving Bud and Nora in the hospital to be released the next morning. Liz was about to make her way down the hall and to her bed when she heard a knock at the door.

Curious, Jake ran to answer the door, then stepped back abruptly as Calvin stepped into the room. Kate and Tom both looked up from their occupation with herding the younger children into bed. Calvin's eyes flicked nervously to Liz before he nodded respectfully to her parents. "Mr. and Mrs. Baker, can I speak to you alone for a moment?"

All activity immediately halted. Sarah froze in the act of giving Gunner a treat – the dog, losing patience, snapped it out of her motionless hand – while Henry laid his half-put-together clarinet back onto its case. Jake, Mark and Mike all turned to face Calvin, while Lorraine even peeked out of the bathroom, where she'd been just about to shut the door. Charlie leaned back in the sofa with a keenly interested expression, his eyes moving between Liz, Calvin, and his parents in a continuous cycle. Stunned, Tom and Kate said nothing for a few long minutes before Kate suddenly recovered herself and turned into the gracious hostess. "Of course…?"

"Calvin," he supplied, smiling slightly.

"Calvin," she amended. "If you'll just give us a few minutes to get everyone in bed, we'll be right out." As she turned to gather Mike, Mark, Nigel, and Kyle, she addressed Liz. "Liz, honey, will you take Calvin into the kitchen and get him something to drink?"

"Sure, Mom," Liz said, standing and ushering Calvin into the kitchen, where she went to the fridge and pulled out two cans of cream soda. Charlie followed them into the kitchen and pulled out a tall glass of orange julius before settling himself on a stool beside Calvin. They drank in silence for several minutes until Kate and Tom came back into the kitchen. At a glance from them, Liz and Charlie got up and went into the hallway, stopping just outside the door to listen.

"Well," they heard Calvin say, clearing his throat awkwardly. "I guess you're wondering why I'm here."

"The thought did cross our minds," Kate replied, sounding slightly amused.

"Well, you see, it's about your daughter…"

"Which one?" Tom asked, a little sharply. Liz sucked in her breath. She knew her mom would not object to Calvin, but her dad just might.

"Liz," Calvin said firmly, and Liz could hear the determination in his voice. "I've come to ask permission to marry her."

Her father must have been taking a drink, because she heard him choke and spit something out. "What? But-but I thought your father said you're engaged to someone else," he said, apparently confused. "He didn't want to talk about it in front of us and, if I remember correctly, specifically not in front of Liz."

"Dad was…mistaken," Calvin replied, sounding a little less certain. "He has arranged someone he wants me to marry and he assumed that that's who I meant. It just so happens that the girl I love is not the girl he wants me to marry."

"Jimmy objects to Lizzie?" Tom asked sharply. "Why? What's wrong with my daughter?"

"Nothing, sir, nothing," Calvin said, sounding strained. "My dad doesn't object to Liz. He just doesn't know about my feelings for her, yet."

"And just what are your feelings for my daughter?" Tom asked suspiciously.

"Tom…" Kate began before trailing away, probably at a sign from her husband.

Calvin hesitated for a moment, trying to choose the right words. "Mr. Baker, I love your daughter with every fiber of my being. I want nothing more than to give her a good life and make her happy."

"But can you?" Tom pressed. "What about the first few years? How will you provide for her? How will you go about making her happy?"

Sensing that now was the time to intervene, Liz took a deep breath and entered the kitchen. "Dad," she said, causing both her parents to turn to look at her, "I want to marry Calvin. It doesn't matter how he provides for me at first. You and Mom had a rough start, too, remember? Don't you think it's up to me to decide what makes me happy? I'm twenty years old, Dad, not a child anymore and I can take care of myself. You have to let me go." She concluded her little speech, glancing nervously between her parents.

"But –" Tom began.

"Honey," Kate interrupted, laying a hand on her husband's arm, "she's right. It's time to let go and let them take their own future into their own hands."

Tom looked as though he might object further, but he finally sighed and said, "Very well. If that's what you both want, then you have my blessing."

Calvin grinned broadly as Liz crossed the kitchen and came into his arms, hugging him fiercely. He hugged her back before remembering something. "Hold on," he said, pulling away from her. As she watched curiously, he fished a little black box out of his pocket. Ceremoniously, he lowered himself to one knee and smoothly opened it to reveal a sparkling princess-cut diamond on a platinum band. Simple, but beautiful. Liz felt tears come to her eyes as he regained his feet and removed the ring, sliding it easily onto her left ring finger after pulling off the tattered remains of his woodland-flower-ring. Impulsively, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, not caring that her parents and her twin brother were in the room.

And there's the actual ring. Next chapter: telling Jimmy... dun dun dun! Actually, it turns out not that bad. Okay, I'll let you go to the next chapter... don't forget to review on your way through!