Chapter 26

"That's perfect! This Friday is my last day here at JAG and I have a week to get down there and report the following Monday. So we'll have to have our honeymoon as we pack and move, if that's okay with you," Mac told him.

"That is perfect darling! I'd guessed we'd be moving soon. One of my calls was also to a real estate agent out there. I figured if we were going to start a family we'd need a house rather than an apartment, and Dammit would like that better too!" AJ chuckled before going on, "The adoption classes are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday's for three hours over two weeks. Then we'll need a home inspection, plus tons of paperwork. Once all that's done, we can start going through their files to choose our children. So, we should start talking about what we are looking for soon."

"AJ! We could be parents in a month!?"

"Well, probably not that soon. The social worker I talked to said that when we select a child then we start with visits to see if everyone likes each other. They recommend that take about six weeks. So I guess two to three months, still faster than having one naturally!" he laughed lightly at her slight pout.

"I guess so! Oh AJ, this is all so wonderful!"

"We can talk all about that tonight. I have more notes at home. Right now I have another surprise for you before we eat."

"Ooooh what? I love your surprises!" she asked eagerly.

He got out of the Escalade, came around to her side, and helped her out. He led her into a jewelry store with a smile that she was coming to love. This smile was different than any she'd ever seen from him before. It was so confident, serene, and full of love. It was the smile he smiled just for her.

A clerk greeted them and AJ told the man they were there for engagement and wedding rings. When Sarah had trouble choosing from the selection placed in front of her, AJ asked her to close her eyes. He'd been carefully watching the ones she'd shown interest in and she seemed to prefer the simple elegance of a single stone rather than a cluster or grouping. She had also shied away from round cut diamonds and he wondered if it was because they reminded her of the ring he'd given Meredith.

When her eyes were closed, he picked up a ring with a large square cut yellow diamond set in a brushed gold band. The set came with two plain brushed gold wedding bands as well. The clerk had always been a pretty good judge of the wealth level of his patrons and because AJ was in a dress shirt and slacks with no suit coat or tie, and his fiancé was in a military uniform, the man worried that the set was out of their price range. Before the man could tell his lady to open her eyes, the clerk slid the price tag in front of AJ. He nodded and turned the tag over telling Sarah she could look now.

Mac opened her eyes and gasped, "Oh AJ, it's beautiful! I love it!" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him enthusiastically.

"I guess that means we'll take the set," AJ told the clerk handing him his platinum American Express card. The man's eyes opened wide when he saw 'Admiral AJ Chegwidden' on the card and even wider when the slightly over six thousand dollar sale went through without a hitch. Both of Mac's rings were a perfect fit, but AJ's needed to be enlarged two sizes. The clerk assured his new favorite customer that it would be done that afternoon!

They left the shop and headed off to lunch, AJ teased Mac that he could hear her tummy protesting about the length of time since breakfast. She denied it, just as it rumbled again and then laughed in embarrassment.

After a leisurely meal AJ dropped her back at JAG Headquarters and said he was going to run a few errands before heading home. He promised to have dinner waiting for her.

To be continued….