Hopes & Dreams - Part II
Life as an engaged couple was busier than both Shane and Oliver could have predicted. The wedding preparations were in full swing and it took all of Shane's spare time. The work at the DLO had also increased exponentially with Norman and Rita on their honeymoon. Shane and Oliver had not spent a single evening together for two whole weeks, as there was always something else taking up their time requiring one or the other's immediate attention.
On a Friday afternoon two weeks after the proposal, just before it was time to clock out, Oliver walked to Shane's desk, grabbed her unexpectedly and kissed her passionately. "I miss you, Shane. Please don't tell me you're too busy this weekend or I will go mad." She smiled happily at the surprise kiss… in the office of all places! "WE will be very busy. We're checking on a couple of churches for the ceremony and a couple of venues for the reception. We haven't got much time, my darling, that's why you're coming with me." Oliver kept his hold on her, planted more kisses on her lips and her neck and said between kisses, "As long as I'm with you, I couldn't care less what we're doing." "Oh really?" She said provocatively, exposing her throat to him for more kisses. He chuckled happily. He just couldn't wait to put her sassiness to the test. The next 10 weeks were going to feel like 10 months. "Can we have dinner together tonight… Pleeeease?" He begged her like a toddler. She laughed. "Of course, we can. Could we go back to that Portuguese Restaurant that we went to last year for New Years Eve?" "Ohhhh, if that compadre looks at you again in the same way he looked at you then, it might turn out to be very bad for his health." Shane laughed out loud.
"Who are you and what have you done with my Oliver?"
"Which one do you prefer?" He asked, lowering his mouth to capture hers again. Once they parted, she said teasingly, "Well, that depends, what have you got to offer? I could be persuaded."
"Oh, could you just? I could come up with a very persuasive bribe." Shane raised her eyebrows! This new Oliver was flirting openly and kissing her passionately in the DLO! Engagement suited him well as he was both more affectionate and more relaxed. She was loving this.
They made the reservation for Bela Maria for 7:30. Oliver then dropped her off at home with the promise to pick her up at 7. Shane was looking forward to spending a lovely evening with her fiancé and finish the evening at her place in their favourite spot on the couch. She missed the days when he used to pick her up and place her on his lap. Maybe she'd surprise him later. "Stop daydreaming, girl… before you know it, he'll be all yours." Shane said out loud, but she couldn't stop thinking about her wedding night! Her fantasies were wreaking havoc with her right now.
Oliver was punctual as usual. When she opened the door, there he was, gorgeous as always, holding a bouquet of yellow roses. He always made her weak in the knees. "Oh, Oliver, you're so romantic… among other things." She batted her eyelashes at him picking up where they had left off that afternoon. "Thank you for the beautiful roses." Then her eyes filled with tears touched by how gentle and considerate he was. "I'll never be able to pamper you as you deserve, my dearest Shane." Then he took one step forward into the house, grabbed her by the waist and kissed her gently but intentionally. He actually closed the door behind him with his foot and deepened the kiss like a man starving. When they parted, she asked whispering breathlessly, "Do you still want to go out?" "No." He said. "I really don't, but that would be very unwise. I think we must get out of here, the sooner, the better." She laughed happily. "Ok, then. Let me put the roses in a vase and retouch my lipstick and we can go." He smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry for messing up your makeup." She flashed him a most beautiful smile and said, "Mr. O'Toole, feel free to mess my makeup anytime you feel like it."
They arrived at the restaurant and to Oliver's great relief; it was an older man as maître d waiting behind the welcome stand. He was obviously the owner. He greeted them warmly and cordially and then led them to their table. The food was divine and the red wine superb! "You haven't had clams in a long time, Oliver." Shane teased. He smiled at her and said, "Thanks to you, my love, I might actually cross that delicacy off my menu altogether." She looked at him adoringly and laughed. "Oh well, just wait until I'm your wife. You might find you actually need a deep freezer to stock up." They both laughed. They had a fantastic time flirting with each other unashamedly.
Later when they arrived back at Shane's, she insisted he come in and have a coffee. He didn't actually resist much about staying a little longer with her. He was glad when she wouldn't take no for an answer.
They enjoyed a very nice cup of coffee together sitting next to each other on bar stools at the kitchen counter. They laughed happily about every topic of conversation. Once they finished their coffee, they moved to the couch. Shane kicked off her high heels and instead of sitting next to him, she situated herself comfortably on his lap as she used to do all those months ago while she was recuperating. He was surprised, but not averse to it. He gathered her to him and she laid snugly against his chest. "I missed being in your arms." She said wistfully. "My arms are at your disposal, my love. Feel free to take your place in them anytime you feel like it." She nestled at his chest and sighed. "Shane, are you ok, my love?" She just nodded. However, before long he felt his shirt damp where her face was resting. He gently lifted her face to him and he saw the tears running down. "Shane, my love, what's wrong?" He said with alarm. She just shook her head, unable to speak. Oliver was getting really anxious. "Please, talk to me, Shane, don't shut me out, darling."
"It's nothing Oliver, I'm ok."
"Of course, you're not ok. Please tell me what the problem is."
"There's no problem, Oliver… I just… I love you so much, it hurts."
"But why should loving me hurt you?" He grabbed her face ever so gently and that brought on more tears.
"I don't know. I guess I just want to be your wife right now. I wish we didn't have another 10 weeks to go."
He nodded. "I understand what you mean and I feel exactly the same." Oliver placed a most loving kiss on the top of her head and said. "You know, it feels almost weird being loved the way you love me. Every woman in my life who mattered broke my heart and abandoned me. Discarded me; as if I was an unwanted piece of unfashionable clothing. It's hard for me to see myself as the object of your love, of your desire." Shane had to work really hard to contain the tears that were now threatening to become deep sobs. "Oh, I hate those women." She said with a passion. "I wish I could get my hands on them. Your mother's gone of course, so there's no point in holding a grudge against her, but Holly? How I wish I could show her exactly how I feel about her."
"Let it go my love. If I hadn't gone through all that, I probably wouldn't have you. Honestly, I'd rather die than live in a world without my Shane. In fact, I don't know how I survived for so long without you." He looked at her and tears started running down his own face. "If you ever leave me Shane, I don't think I could survive."
When Shane heard that, her heart broke for him. She held so tight to him she was afraid she'd physically hurt him, "Oliver, I will never leave you; I will never let you go. I love you more than life itself. Life without you is not life at all. I'm pretty sure I would also not survive if you ever left me." They held each other tightly, both with tears running down their faces and totally unable to stop them.
Then, out of the blue Oliver blurted out, "I'm so grateful to the Lord that Mr. Marek is an idiot."
"What?" Shane looked up at him, wiping her tears and completely surprised by the weird comment.
"Yes, I'm very grateful Steve was such an idiot, to the point that Ms. Starkwell had to intervene and transfer you to Denver when she did to rescue you from a bad relationship. I mean, the timing was simply perfect."
"What do you mean?" Shane asked, completely baffled.
"Well, if Steve had half a brain, he'd have been more mindful on how to appreciate you rather than leave you for months on end. He took you completely for granted. I don't understand him." Oliver shook his head in disbelief and carried on, "But then when you came to Denver, at that precise time, I was at my lowest and in most need of a friend brave enough to reach out through the thick fog I was in and lift me up, regardless of my stubbornness. You were that friend!" Oliver looked adoringly into her eyes and marched on. "I truly believe had it not been for you, I'd still be in limbo and only God knows if my situation would've ever changed. I can't see anybody else doing what you did. You were so brave, my Shane." Shane smiled self consciously and said matter of factely, "It wasn't bravery, it was desperation." He raised an eyebrow in typical Oliver O'Toole's fashion and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well, how else would I get Holly out of your life? How could I get you all to myself? I had to bring her back in order to kick her out, once and for all."
He laughed and hugged her. "Well, you sneaky thing… it worked, didn't it?" Shane smiled contentedly and asked, "And by the way, talking about kicking people out, my mom told me that you punched Steve with the most epic right hook she's ever seen. How do you plead, Mr. O'Toole?" He really laughed at that. Shane absolutely loved making him so happy and relaxed.
Once Oliver composed himself he said. "Well, I plead guilty of course and I'd do it all over again if he ever comes within a mile of my darling again." He looked at her as if waiting for her approval, since she made no move; he carried on looking quite self satisfied. "It was indeed epic! I don't think I've ever landed a better punch in my entire life… but he deserved it… he was asking for it!" Oliver said, obviously unrepentant.
Now it was Shane's turn to laugh. "Is that why he had a black eye next morning?"
"Oh yes!" Oliver said, looking quite proud of himself. If he had been standing up, he'd be bouncing up and down on his toes as he did when he felt complete contentment. Now he was quite smug to boot. They both laughed and hugged again. When they separated, he ran the back of his hand down her face and took her lips in a gentle kiss. It got deeper and passionate in a hurry and when they separated he said breathlessly. "I agree with you though, I wish you were my wife, right now." They hugged again. They couldn't have been more in concert if they tried.
Eventually it was time for him to go home. He just hated the idea of leaving her. The minute they stood up, they came together again and hugged so tight they left the imprint of each other on their own bodies. "See you tomorrow, my love." He whispered in her ear. "Do you really have to go?" She whispered back, sounding as if she would start crying all over again. "Yes, I do, unfortunately. But I'll be back tomorrow morning and we will spend the entire day together organising our beautiful wedding." He said as if trying to coax a child into something they didn't want to do. He even offered a bribe: "I can let you sit on my lap again tomorrow night." She then laughed and said, "Okay then, now we're talking! We have a deal!" She then extended her right hand to shake on it. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him again and they kissed one last time. She opened the door for him, and he stepped out and turned. Once outside, he gave her another one of those smouldering stares that made her weak in the knees and they flew into each other's arms again. They clung to each other, kissing like there was no tomorrow. He pushed her hair back from her face and laced his fingers deep into it while she dug her fingers through his hair in a desperate attempt to make time fly. This wait was going to be torture.
Eventually they separated and reluctantly... very reluctantly he walked down the few steps to his car. She didn't close the door until he gave her a last wave and blew her a kiss.
