Chapter 45
After Hannah left the guys worked on settling Sam in and making sure he was ok. They set him up on the couch Phil's TV room. Phil, Ikey and Nick decided to spend the night there too. Seeing it was a sea of testosterone and knowing she didn't know much about 11 year old boys Pizza Girl said her good byes and promised to bring donuts in for breakfast the next morning.
Eddie took Janet home and made it clear to the guys he wouldn't be back. It had been a long day, the Rowan's party, Janet's attack, Nick's results, Hannah's fall out. No one seemed to remember that Eddie proposed and Janet said yes.
Janet was quiet on the ride home and Eddie just let it be. He pulled into the local grocery store and picked up some rice pudding, something they've both come to love. He also grabbed the best looking roses and a bunch of assorted flowers. His choice wasn't bad for a 12:17am purchase but still he wished they were nicer. Before heading out to the car he got the cashier to get him a piece of floral paper and he made a bouquet out of his purchase. He was able to get to the car without Janet noticing. She was staring out the window when he sat down and put the pudding between them. He waited for her to turn and look at him before he handed her the flowers. "I love that you put the people you love before yourself but tonight was supposed to be your night and I'll be damned if it is not going to be the most memorable nights of your life."
Janet teared up and took the flowers. She leaned in and kissed him hungrily on the lips. Wiping her tears with his thumb he leaned in and kissed her back. "Let's go home." He said.
Back at Janet's she found a vase for the flowers and took the pudding into the kitchen. Eddie went to her bed room and found her favorite flannel lounge pants and one of his old t-shirt and his old flannel shirt and put them on the bed. He then grabbed another pair of lounge pants and a t-shirt and put them on. Coming out to the living room he looked like he was ready for a long winter's nap, not a hot august night. He turned down the air conditioning to 74 and walked up behind Janet who was opening the pudding. "Let me do that. I laid out your favorite outfit on the bed why don't you go change and meet me on the couch." He said hugging her from behind.
"Deal" she answered.
When she came out wearing her most comfy jammies she noticed he had put "Bye Bye Birdie" with Dick Van Dyke on the DVD and had a blanket and pillows out on the couch for her to lounge on. Making sure she sat where he wanted, then he lavishly presented her with a bowl of pudding. He sat at the opposite side of the couch, grabbed the tube of peppermint foot cream he had found in the bathroom and began rubbing her feet. By the time he put clean socks on her feet she was asleep. He smiled, turned down the TV and tucked her in. He cleaned their mess and crawled into her bed for a good night's sleep. He knew at that moment that this was the life he always dreamed about.
The next morning, before the sun came up, Janet joined him in bed. She was careful not to wake him but was curious why he had gone to bed without her. A few hours later as the sun peaked thru the window Eddie could hear Janet's breathing change. "Good morning Edith."
"Mmmm" she answered curling into his arms.
"So I was thinking we could get up and have breakfast at IHOP and then head to the jewelry store to look at rings. What do you think?"
"Rings?" she replied.
"Did you forget you promised to be my wife?" he said teasingly.
"Mummy- I thought it was a dream." She admitted nudging in tighter.
"It is-mine. But I thought before you decided on keeping "GG"'s ring you'd want to check out what's out there?"
"Hey dude, I'm always ready to spend your money on myself," She said sitting up. "Did Grams really give this to you last April?"
"Yup." He said taking her hand and letting the ring dance in the morning sun. "Before everything happened last spring I had decided that I would probably ask you under the fireworks on July 3rd." Suddenly he became quiet remembering how they sat there barely speaking this year. Still he was glad they had gone. "As your birthday got closer I knew I had forgiven myself for everything I had done to reinforce any doubts you had. I knew I wanted you to be my girlfriend but didn't know if marriage would be the end result. Hence the charm." Eddie took a deep breath and continued. "But when I thought you were dying I knew I didn't want another day in my life without you." Eddie started tearing up. "I want you to be the mother of my children, and when we are old and grey I want send videos to our grandchildren telling them how I slept thru "Bye Bye Birdie". I want to marry my best friend. "
Janet wrapped herself around Eddie while a tear rolled down his cheek. "That sounds wonderful bear." Eddie chuckled.
"I have to admit I loved telling the nurse in Boston that I was your fiancé. You know I've been carrying this ring around since the day after your birthday waiting for a perfect moment to ask you."
"Well last night was perfect though you have to admit that my answer was better. The last day, barbeque, friends, beer, World Series Wins?" Janet stated.
"And you as my wife? It would be a perfect day." Eddie added kissing her knowing that IHOP didn't open for another hour.