"What! What are you saying?" she said. "Are you out of your mind?"
"I am not but you have to hear me out. Do you really want to go to South Carolina and live with your dad and your step-mom?" he asked.
"No, you know that I don't want to go. I told you that last night," she said. "But it doesn't mean that I am contemplating marriage at this point. I barely know you. Up to a couple of days ago, I didn't even know you were. Plus my husband just died, a little under two months ago. That just seems so crazy."
"Okay, let's just thrash this through. I thought about this while I was driving to the airport. Here are the pros. First of all, I have a two-bedroom off-base apartment near Fort Clemson in California. I get an allowance from the army for the apartment. It is unoccupied because I am not there but you and the girls could stay there," he told her.
"California. I miss California. I miss the beach and the warm weather," she said. "You know I am from California."
"Yes," he said. "I know that. You could get the warm weather and the beaches. The base is not that far from the beach. You can take a drive and you will be there in 15 minutes. I am sure the girls would love to go to the beach."
"Then, as dependants of an active serviceman, you can get all of the military benefits to which you are accustomed. You can shop at the PX. We have a daycare center there and there are schools on the base," he said. "Plus you can look for a job, too."
"Also, I will apply for on-base housing," he added. "We could get a three-bedroom house. It may take a while but I am sure we could get one. So what do you think?"
"Um," she said, a little unsure. "I can see all of the benefits that the girls and I would get out of this deal. What about you? What do you get from this? Do you expect me to do all of the wifely duties?" She was really asking him if he expected her to sleep with him.
"No," he said firmly. "I am not expecting that. Well, if we get the three-bedroom house, you can have a room, the girls can have a room and I can have a room. This is just a marriage of convenience. I just want to do this for you. I don't want you guys to be miserable in South Carolina, in a place where you are all not wanted. It would bother me so much that you all are unhappy."
He added, "Plus it works out fine. I am going back to Iraq in a couple of days and you can have the apartment to yourselves. Hopefully, by the time I get back on my next leave, you would be out of the apartment and into on-base housing."
After a pause, she finally said, "This is very kind of you. But I have to think about it."
"Well, you can't think too long. I am going to reschedule my flight for tonight but if you want to do this, we should get married, today, so I can get you and the girls to California before I leave for Iraq," he said.
"Oh my God, this is so rushed," she said. "My head is going to explode. There is so much to think about. I am going to lie down for a bit. You can help yourself to some coffee." She went to her bedroom, while Owen went to the kitchen to make himself some coffee.
Iris and Laurel came wandering out of their room and sat at the kitchen table, observing him. "Girls, do you want anything?"
"Cereal, please," Iris said with a shake of her curls. Owen found a couple of bowls in a box, since they were already packed away. He found the cereal in a cupboard and the milk in the fridge. He decided to cut up a few strawberries to add to their cereal. He placed a spoon into each bowl and handed it to them.
As Iris picked up her spoon, she told him, "You have to feed Laurel. She is just a baby."
"Oh," Owen said. He sat down next to the smaller girl, who gave him the sweetest smile and showed off her baby teeth. "Gosh, you are such a cutie." She was obviously very hungry and she finished her bowl, very quickly.
Cristina came out of the bedroom and looked at the man, who was a stranger to her, a couple of days ago. Still, they barely knew each other, she knew. He was offering her a gift – a chance to escape from being in the unfriendly clutches of her step-mom. The children would be away from all the negativity about their father. She knew she and her children would have hated living in South Carolina. She had turned over his proposition over and over in her mind. It was such a wild idea to get married.
Yet, from what she had seen and known of him over the past few days, she was acutely aware that he was a good man. The thing she noticed the most about him was that he had the kindest eyes. He had made that trip cross-country just to tell her what Josh had said. Most people would have dismissed that and would not have made the effort. Now, looking at him with her children, she realized that he was a person that did not have any bad intentions. The kids were laughing with him, as he made funny faces to entertain them. It made her smile.
"Okay," she said. He looked up and stared at her. "Okay what?" he said.
"Okay, we will do this," she said. He broke out in a smile. "Okay then," he said. "Let's go get our license. We can get married by the chaplain on this base. Do you know him?"
"Yes," she said. "I will call him. He is very amenable. I will just tell him that we need to get married because you are shipping out soon. Actually, that is not a lie. You are leaving soon. I will just get the girls changed so we can leave. Come, girls." The little girls got up and followed their mother to their bedroom. They emerged half an hour later, both in pretty dresses. Cristina went into her bedroom to change.
Owen was getting anxious. This was a huge decision he had made. He was going to tell his mother after the wedding ceremony. He didn't want to be discouraged from what he was going to do. People thought he was crazy to join the army. Now, they would think he had totally gone off his rocker. Cristina came out of the bedroom, wearing an eggshell colored, tea-length dress. Her curls were loose and cascaded down her shoulders. "I didn't have time to put up my hair," she said, self-consciously touching her hair.
"That's okay, you look really pretty," he said. "Are you ready?" She nodded, as they went down to the courthouse to get their license. In the meantime, Cristina called the army chaplain, who gladly agreed to officiate. They then went to the chapel on the base. Reverend Holmes and his wife, Betty Lou, were already waiting for them.
"I love it when young people get married," Reverend Holmes said. "This is my wife, Betty Lou. She is the organist and the photographer. I am sure you want reminders of the day."
"Uh, yes," Owen said. "Come on girls," Cristina told her kids and guided them to a pew at the front of the chapel. "Such pretty girls," Betty Lou said to Owen. "You must be very proud."
"Yes," Owen said, quietly.
"So let's get started," Reverend Holmes said. Cristina and Owen stood at the front of the church. "What the heck are we doing?" she whispered. "Leap of faith, Cristina, leap of faith," he told her.
It was a traditional, brief ceremony and so after their "I do's", Reverend Holmes said, "You may now kiss the bride." Cristina and Owen turned to each other, each of them more than a little nervous. If they didn't kiss, they knew it would look strange to the reverend and his wife. He took her face in his hands and gave her a gentle kiss.
"Oh, come on son, you can do better than that," the reverend said. "This is your wedding day and your wife is beautiful."
This time, it was Cristina, who took the initiative. She went forward and gave him a huge kiss. He was taken aback but her lips felt so amazing against his. He felt the same goose bumps he had felt earlier when she kissed him on his cheek but the feeling was more intense.
"Now, that is more like it," the reverend said. "Okay, folks, that is it. You are now husband and wife."
"Thank you," Owen said. "So let's take a picture to remember the occasion," Betty Lou said, bringing her camera. She took a picture of Owen and Cristina by themselves and then another one with them and the children.
"Such a beautiful family," she said. She took Owen's email address and told them that she would send the pictures to them. It was quiet in the car as they drove back to the house. They were now married and yet, it seemed so awkward.
When they got to the house, Owen said, "I think you guys should pack your clothes and I am going to book us some seats on a flight to California tomorrow. We will see about shipping your things today. It would be good to get this done as quickly as possible. I don't have much time left in the US and I want to see you settled." Cristina nodded and headed to the bedroom to pack her clothes. Owen knew he had to call his mother. But first, he cancelled his flight back to Seattle, and booked tickets for a family of four, heading to California.
He took a deep breath before he called his mother. When he heard her cheery voice answer the phone, he said, "Hey, mom."
"Hey, Owen. So glad to hear from you. So I will be seeing you today?" Irene said. "How did things go with that soldier's family?"
"They went fine," Owen said. "But you won't be seeing me today."
"Why?" his mother was alarmed. "What happened? Did you get in an accident? Are you hurt?"
"No, mom, nothing like that," he said. "Something did happen but it isn't anything bad."
"Oh?" his mother said. "Speak, son, you're keeping me in suspense, here."
"Um, I got married," he said. His mother shrieked. "Married? Who? What? Where? Why? How? You've been gone only for a couple of days and now you're married?"
"Yes," he said. "Remember the soldier's wife that I was telling you about. Well, I married her. "
"Oh, my God, Owen, I know you have a saviour complex but I never thought you would go this far," Irene said. "Are you sure you're not ruining your life? I mean this is a woman you hardly know."
"Well, mom, they were really in a tough spot. They were going to move to a place, where they weren't really wanted. You should see them, mom. Cristina and her two little girls, Iris and Laurel. They are really beautiful and they are good people, too. I am making them my dependants so they could still get the benefits. I am going to move them to my apartment in Fort Clemson. So that is why I won't be home, tonight. But I promise that I will be back in Seattle before I leave."
"Son, we are going to have to talk about this some more," Irene said. "I can well imagine what Beth is going to say, when she hears of this. Goodbye, Owen. I am sure you have lots to do with your new family."
"Yes, thanks mom, for being understanding. I know this sounds outrageous but I am 95 per cent confident it will all work out," he said. "Bye."
That day, it was very busy. She had already sold her car to a friend on the base, so they had to drop that off. Then, he had to make arrangements for her belongings to be shipped to his apartment. Plus they gave away whatever food that was in the fridge and the cupboards to one of her neighbors. Goodwill also came to pick up their donations. As the house was now empty, they dropped off the keys to the housing office on the base.
The family of four spent the night in a hotel room. Cristina and her two girls slept in one bed, while Owen slept in the other. Cristina stared at the ceiling of the hotel room, occasionally taking glances at the man in the next bed – the man who was her husband. She really hoped that she had made the right decision.
The next day, the new family boarded a flight to their new life in California. When they got to his apartment, Owen fumbled with his keys and dropped them on the ground. It was a long time since he had been back here, especially since he was now deployed.
"Sorry about that, a little bit nervous here," he said. As they stepped in, Cristina observed it was a lovely apartment. Owen brought in their suitcases. He showed her the master bedroom. "This will be your room and the other room will be for the kids. I don't have much clothes in the closet, so you can push that aside and put in your stuff."
"Where are you going to sleep tonight?" she asked. "The couch is actually a sofa bed," he said. "I can pull that out and sleep there, tonight. By the way, I am going to the store. There isn't anything in the cupboards, so if you write a list down and I will just head off to the grocery." Cristina did as she was told and wrote down all of the things that she thought that they would need. She handed him the list. "Owen, thank you for everything," she said.
"You're very welcome," he said. He headed off to the store, while Cristina unpacked everyone's clothes. She started to dust, sweep and tidy the place. Then, she heard a knock on the door. That was strange, she thought. Owen should have his keys. She went to open the door. It was an older woman with white hair and familiar blue eyes.
"Hello," Cristina said. "May I help you?"
"Yes," Irene said. "I have come to meet my new daughter-in-law." Cristina blinked.
A/N Please leave your thoughts and comments. I do appreciate when you take the time to do so.