Lizzie pulled her car up outside the base social club, where the celebrations were taking place, after picking up her grandpa. Opening her door, she slid out before walking around to the other side of the car and helping her grandpa out.
"let me give you a hand, grandpa," she said offering her arm out to him.
"thanks lizzie," he said taking it and getting out of the car.
Tucking her arm in to the crook of his, her grandpa walked in to the hall and over to where her father was standing.
"father," she said placing a kiss on to his cheek. "where's mom?" she asked not seeing her mother anywhere in the hall.
"she did not want to come," he said to lizzie before turning to his father. Holding out his hand and the pair shook hands. "dad, how you been?"
"I'm ok son,"
The band had started to play a waltz and lizzie held her hand out to her grandpa.
"May I have this dance, grandpa?" she asked
Taking her hand, lizzie's grandpa walked her out on to the dance floor and they started to dance the waltz. Half way through, Dylan walked over and tapped lizzie's grandpa on the shoulder.
"excuse me, might I step in?" he asked.
steeping aside lizzie's grandpa allowed Dylan to continue.
"so that was your date?" Dylan asked as they moved around the dance floor.
"yes, I brought my grandpa, he was there on D-Day, on one of the big ships," lizzie said as the music finished and the band started to play an energic swing number. Taking Dylan's hand, lizzie pulled Dylan over to where her father and grandpa were sitting.
"grandpa, may I introduce you to Petty officer Dylan Mullholland, RAN. Dylan, meet my grandpa Chief Petty officer William James," lizzie said as Dylan shook William's hand.
"So, this is the man who has stolen our lizzie's heart?"
"grandpa," lizzie said looing shocked at what her grandpa was saying.
"What, I have eyes, I saw the way you were looking at each other,"
"I will get us some drinks," lizzie said rolling her eyes as she walked over to the bar. Ordering the drinks, she was gone for about five minutes and walked back caring a tray back. When she arrived Dylan, took the tray from her.
"Thank You," she said.
"lizzie can we talk?" he said taking her hand and leading her to the dance floor.
"Dylan, what are you doing?" she asked as he led her to the middle of the floor.
"lizzie, I love you, from the moment I first saw you I knew you were the one," he said "will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" he asked going down on to one knee, and pulled out the ring box he had held on to for the past two years. Lizzie could only nod her head, as she was lost for words. Taking her left hand, he stood up and slipped the ring on to her ring finger. It was a simple diamond cut in to an emerald cut set in gold band.
"do you like the ring?" he asked as lizzie looked down at her finger. " it was my grandmother's, so it is vintage,"
"I love it," she said placing a kiss on to his lips.
Lizzie's father and grandpa walked over to the pair and pulled lizzie in to a hug.
"you look after my little girl," her grandpa said
"grandpa," lizzie said looking horrified
"what I have to look out for you, you are precious to all of us,"
"I will," Dylan replied pulling lizzie in to his arms.
The rest of the evening passed quickly and lizzie felt like her feet did not touch the ground. It was late when lizzie and Dylan help her grandpa in to her car. Turning to Dylan, she said "if you want a lift home, then you will have to sit in the back,"
smiling to herself as she watched with amusement as Dylan folded himself up on the back seat.
Pulling up outside her grandpa's house, lizzie saw the door was wide open, turning to her Grandpa, she said "stay here grandpa, your house has been broken into," Pulling her phone out she dialled treble nine and asked for the police. Relaying the info to the operator they waited till the police arrived.
Following the police officers in to the bungalow, lizzie saw that her grandpa's bungalow was trashed. Everything was upturned and the was glass all over the floor. Walking back out to her car, lizzie opened the door and said to her grandpa. "gramps, you are going to have to come and stay with us tonight. Its late and it is going to take a long time to sort out the mess," Putting a case in to the boot of her car, lizzie walked back to the driver's side and got into the car.
grabbing her phone, lizzie called her father. "hey dad, grandpa is going to have to stay at ours, his house has been broken into, I will explain more when I get home,"
Pulling up outside her house after the short drive, lizzie helped her grandpa out of the car and in to the house. Walking in to the hall, lizzie could hear her parents having an argument.
"Dad, we are home," she said as her mom walked in to the hall, and confronted lizzie.
"You father says you are getting married, you barely know the man,"
"Mom, I knew him two years ago, when I was in Australia, then you called me home, and I left without saying goodbye or anything," lizzie said before helping her grandpa in to the living room, followed by her mom and dad. They started to discuss the sleeping arrangements and where lizzie's grandpa was going to sleep.
"I will get the camp bed set up," lizzies mom said walking out of the living room. Lizzie followed.
"are you really going to let a ninety-year-old sleep on that camp bed,"
"and where do you suppose he sleep then? We have no room,"
"well Dylan can always sleep in my room, and grandpa can have the guest room for now,"
lizzie's mom was about to speak when her father spoke up. Her mom walked out of the room in a huff.
"excellent idea lizzie, I will go and change the sheets,"
"I did it this morning sir," Dylan said.
"excellent, Dad would you like a nightcap, we should after all toast the engagement," lizzies father said picking up the whisky decanter that stood on the sideboard in the living room, and poured four glasses and passed them around.
"dad, I'm going to go to bed, I will see you in the morning," lizzie said before downing the glass of whisky before walking out and up the stairs to her room.
Sliding in to her bed lizzie closed her eyes, and drifted in to a light sleep. Sometime later she felt Dylan slide in to the bed next to her and pull her close to him. His arms wrapping around her waist, he whispered in to her ear, "I love you. Sweet dreams," he then placed a kiss on to the top of her shoulder.
The following morning, lizzie woke to the sound of the shower in her en suite. Walking to the door, lizzie lent on the door frame and smiled as she saw Dylan in the cubical.
"you better not be using my shampoo or body wash," she said walking in to the bathroom. As she got close to the shower, Dylan, reached out and grabbed her and pulled her under the running water, pinning her against the wall.
"Dylan," she said as he placed kisses along her neck. Moving his hands down her body, he pulled. up her top over her head, he tossed It out of the shower. Placing her hands on his chest, lizzie felt the ripple of muscles.
"move, I need to take a shower now," she said pushing him out of the of the shower. removing her Pj bottoms that were sodden and tossed them to join the top.
Stepping out of the shower, lizzie grabbed a towel and wrapped around her chest and walked in to her room. Walking over to her wardrobe, lizzie pulled out an old pair of jeans, an old t-shirt and old hoodie and pulled them on. Walking down to the kitchen, Dylan was sat on at the breakfast bar, drinking a coffee. He passed her a cup.
"hear, drink," he said before passing her a plate of toast. Lizzie took a bite from the piece that sat on the plate. From the kitchen, lizzie could hear her parents having a row in her father's study. Closing her eyes, lizzie took a deep breath, and turned to see her grandpa standing in the doorway.
"morning Grandpa, do you want a cup of tea?" lizzie asked as she walked over to the kettle. "I'll make that, you go and see what the problem is with your parents," Dylan said placing has hand over hers. reaching up, lizzie placed a kiss on his cheek.
"thank you," she said
Walking out of the kitchen, lizzie walked to her father's study and knocked the door. Opening the door, she walked in. "what is going on, we can hear you in the kitchen. "she said slightly raising her voice to be heard.
"nothing for you to concern yourself with," her mother said before walking out of the room.
"dad?" lizzie turned to her father.
"you mother is just upset about your engagement,"
"But dad, I'm twenty-eight, I can make my own choices,"
"I know but she thinks it's too soon," her father said reaching over and giving her hand a squeeze. "give her time," he added.
"ok, I doubt it though," lizzie added
"oh, and before I forget, you asked about seeing a training exercise, well we have some sea cadets coming to see and have a go at some of the exercise next week and I could do with some help, I have squared it off with the cadet leader and the commander,"
"sounds great, can we talk about this later, I need to get grandpa home and his house sorted," she said and turned to walk out the room.
Lizzie spent the day, helping her grandpa tidy up the bungalow and make a list of what was missing which lizzie was going to hand in to the police station on her way home. Arriving home, lizzie walked into serval suitcases in the hall.
"Dad, what's going on?" she called out as her mother walked out of the hall with Charlie.
"We are moving out," she said walking past lizzie and out of the house.