Chapter 39
William looked up from his favorite chair in his library when he heard someone clearing his throat.
"Hey Jack."
"Mr. Thatcher…may I have a few minutes of your time?"
William looked at this young man for a moment. Jack looked very nervous. He thought the young man was sweating. He didn't understand why he was nervous. He looked just like the last time he came to the library to speak to him when Jack and Elizabeth were sent to the school office because he kissed her on the cheek in the hallway. At that time, he was with his father, but he looked just as white and just as nervous now as he was then.
"Sure Jack. Come on in and have a seat."
William was sitting in his favorite chair. The paper was in his hands with a glass of tea on a small table beside his chair. He waved to the chair that was just a few feet away.
Jack's eyes went to the chair and then back to William. He psyched himself up on the ride over to make sure he looked William in the eyes. His father's words played over and over again in his mind. A man always looks another man in the eyes, Jack…always look him in the eyes. Jack has heard that phrase since he was a little child. He rubbed the back of his neck before stepping into the library. He quickly looked around and knew that William was by himself.
"Mr. Thatcher…is it ok if I stand?"
William continued to watch this young man as he walked in and stood by the chair that was diagonal from his chair. This made Jack almost standing directly in front of him.
Did he call me Mr. Thatcher? William thought to himself. He has only called him Mr. Thatcher once since that dreadful Monday. That was on the visit to the college when Jack thought he was upset with his middle daughter's boyfriend. With Jack's body posture, his nervousness, his shifting from foot to foot, and the look of determination written on his face, William immediately felt this was a serious discussion. William placed the paper down on the small table and stood to face Jack.
"Yes, if you are more comfortable, you may stand. Jack, what's on your mind?"
"I need to speak with you concerning Elziabeth and I."
"Alright young man, what about you two that you would like to discuss?"
…
"Hey Tom." Charlette called out. "Why is Jack's bag still here?"
"He didn't need it this morning."
"Why wouldn't he need his basketball gear? He's not at the children's center this morning?"
"No."
Charlette waited for an explanation, but Tom never looked up from his book. He didn't notice that his wife was still waiting for an explanation.
"Why not?"
"Why not what dear?"
"Tom, please set the book down and talk to me."
Tom slowly lowered his book down as he looked up at his wife. She was standing in front of him with that teacher's expression. Charlette huffed when he raised his eyebrows.
"Don't think about it." She chuckled when an expression of sadness came across his face. She knew what that look did to him. "Why didn't Jack need his basketball gear. He's not helping with the kids today?"
"No. He isn't."
"Ok, where is he then?" She was changing when Jack left. He just yelled goodbye through the closed door.
"He is over at Elizabeth's house."
"Isn't she at the library for reading hour. She's always there on Saturday morning."
"Yes."
"Ok…" She elongated the word.
"What?"
"Thomas Thornton…you will participate in this discussion with more than one worded answer and those words will be more than one syllable words."
"Yes dear." Tom smirked. He knew that would get his wife going. He was enjoying this a little too much.
"Thomas!" She warned.
"He went to speak with William."
"Do you know why he went to speak with William?"
"I do."
"Well…"
"Dear, he needed to speak with him."
"About?"
…
Steven looked up when his mother placed an envelope in front of him. He was sitting at the kitchen table with a snack on a plate in front of him. "What's this?" He asked looking up at his mother.
"I just pulled it out of the mailbox. The return address is from Trinity."
"Really?" His voice was full of excitement and anxiety. He was tirelessly waiting for the envelope to come but now he was filled with anxiety at the sight of it.
"It is. Hey, why don't you call Connie and open it."
"Sure, but I'll do it here. I would also like for you to be here too."
Steven's mother wiped a tear away. She wanted to be part of it, but she also knew how much he loved Connie. She was also accepted to Trinity.
He pulled his phone out of his front pocket and hit the facetime button. After the third ring, Connie answered the call. "Hey goodlooking." Her voice sang out.
"Hey gorgeous."
"What are you up to?"
"I'm here with my mother." His mother leaned over enough for Connie to see her on the screen.
"Hey." Connie waved. "How are you?"
"I'm good."
"Connie, I received this in the mail today." He held up the envelope. "It's from Trinity."
"Really! Well, what did it say?"
"I haven't opened it yet. I wanted you to be with me when I open it."
"I'll be there in fifteen minutes!" She exclaimed as she disconnected the call.
"Am I really going to have to wait fifteen minutes to open this letter to find out if I'm accepted or not?"
"If I was you, I would wait. I wouldn't want to face her if you had already opened it before she is here."
"True." He sighed. "This is going to be a long fifteen minutes."
"I doubt it will take her that long to get here."
…
Jack took a moment trying to capture his mind, emotions, and words. He loved Elizabeth and knew he wanted a lifetime with her. However, that still didn't make this any easier as he stood in front of her father. William had always treated him with respect and with good will. He knew William liked him. He could easily hear him yell at the games. At this moment though, he was Elizabeth's father. With one last, deep breath, Jack began.
"Sir…"
"Jack, we are way past the 'sir' and 'Mr. Thatcher' stage. It's me…talk to me."
Jack inwardly smiled. That would be something his father would have said. It helped him relax a little.
"Thank you for saying that…but for this discussion, if it's alright with you, I'll use Mr. Thatcher."
William nodded his head. Suddenly, the thought of why Jack was here without Elizabeth came to mind. He looked up to Jack's eyes. At that point in time, Jack began to speak. He had a rehearsed speech planned, but he couldn't remember any of it standing in front of William.
"Mr. Thatcher, you most certainly know by now how much I respect and care for Elizabeth. We have been dating for a few months. I have come to care for her deeply. I also respect you and Mrs. Thatcher more than I can express." Jack paused to catch a breath. "I know we are young and still in high school. We have some life to live before all the adult things come our way, but I wanted you to know that I wish to experience the rest of my life with Elizabeth by my side." Jack had begun speaking at a very quick pace, but he began to slow down to normal speed. He was still nervous, but William had a calming effect on him as he continued speaking. "We are dating, and I wanted you to know where I'm hoping this relationship will continue to grow and become a relationship that will last the rest of my life."
William nodded his head. He wanted to say something, however, Jack never paused long enough for him to jump into the conversation.
"We graduate soon and then we will be attending Bryan's together. That will begin a new season of life for us. I do believe we are both looking forward to that stage. It will have its fun times and challenging times, but sir, I'm excited to walk that path with Elizabeth. College is a time for experiencing new things while growing mentally, emotionally, and physically. I look forward to that time and experiencing it all with Elizabeth by my side."
"I know you two will blossom in that experience."
Jack nodded his head. He swallowed and took a deep breath. "Yes sir. I believe you are correct." Jack paused again. "Sir, I wanted you to be aware of my intentions with Elizabeth."
…
Instead of knocking, Connie walked straight into Steven's home. She didn't mean to be disrespectful. Her intentions were honest. It was also set on Steven. If he was accepted to Trinity, it would mean that they could attend college together. They were growing closer since they began to date. She was well received by Steven's mom.
"Took you long enough." Steven's mom stated as she turned her attention back to Steven. He hasn't left the table since he sat down with the envelope.
"I got here as fast as I could."
"Dear, you could have gotten here five minutes ago, and it would still have taken you forever."
Connie smile at the precious woman. "It felt like forever for me too. Now…" She turned her attention to Steven. "Why are you taking so long?"
"I wanted to wait until you were here."
"I've been here for twenty seconds…what are you waiting for?"
"There is my impatient girlfriend." Steven smirked.
"That's enough from you." Connie stated as she stepped beside Steven. His mother stepped to the other side. Both leaning toward Steven and forward to take a better look when he opened the letter.
Steven exhaled a long breath and turned the envelope over. He tore the end off and reached in the envelope. Pulling out a piece of paper, he unfolded it. His mother and Connie leaned a little more forward. All three began to read the paper.
We are excited to admit you to the 2024 fall semester to Trinity University. Enclosed you will find a website and password for you to register…
He stopped reading when his mother wrapped her arms around him. She held on tight and told him congratulations. Connie patiently waited her turn. She held onto him and whispered 'congratulations' and 'I love you' in his ear.
"I'm so proud of you son." His mother hugged him again when he released Connie. "Wow! We need to make a plan."
"Mom, we have time."
"Sure we do. Now, is this where you want to go?"
Steven reached for Connie's hand. "I do."
"Hey, maybe you need to read the rest of the letter." Connie stated slowly as she read it. She had picked up the letter when Steven was talking to his mom.
"Why?"
"Here." She stated waving the letter in front of him. "Third paragraph."
We are offering you a partial scholarship for basketball. This scholarship will pay for tuition and meal plan only. You will be responsible for fees and books.
"They'll pay for tuition and meal plan?"
"Yes mom. That's what it says. They won't pay for fees or books."
"Wow!" She thought. "That would make it very doable."
"I'm so proud of you!" Connie stated. "Now, you will be able to play basketball for four more years."
…
"Sir…I wanted to be very clear with you about my intentions with Elizabeth."
"Jack, are you asking for my daughter's hand in marriage?" William laughed a little at Jack's facial expression.
"Sir, not yet. However, I want you to know that I have every intention of speaking to you about that subject at some point."
"So…you want me to know that you want to talk to me about marrying Elizabeth at some point?"
This wasn't going exactly the way he wanted it to go. He wasn't exactly sure how it should go. He didn't feel like it was going well.
"Sir." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes. Someday I wish to marry Elizabeth. She is important to me and grows more so each day."
"Jack, I haven't heard you tell her that you love her or have I heard her tell that to you." When he saw Jack lower his head and break eye contact, he knew it was something that they have told each other but not anyone else. "You do…don't you."
Jack didn't look up. He felt his face turning red. He knew his and Elizabeth's actions spoke volumes of their love for each other, but they still haven't shared that with anyone except Pops and Nana. They just wanted to keep that little secret to themselves.
"Wait…" William stated remembering a time at the basketball game when he noticed Jack squeezing Elizabeth's hand three times before he came up to kiss and hug his mother. "…you squeezed her hand three times…I. Love. You." He whispered. He knew he was on the right track when Jack's head quickly popped up. "You tell each other, but not anyone else." He had a thoughtful look on his face. He was piecing everything together.
"Sir."
"You two tell each other, but you want to keep it just between you two. How long have you been doing that?"
"Sir."
William looked up and noticed Jack's face. It was a little embarrassing and a little determined.
"Fair enough. You don't have to answer my question."
"Thank you, sir. Mr. Thatcher, I hope to come to you at some point and ask for your blessing to marry Elizabeth. I'm not sure when, but please know I will someday. It's important for me that you know and understand that."
"I hope you two won't be married during high school."
"Yes sir. I can guarantee you that we won't be married in high school. We haven't discussed it yet. I'm not sure if we'll wait until after college or maybe we'll get married during college."
William thought through the whole situation. He trusted Jack. He knew Jack would take great care of his little one. He also knew Jack would protect her. He has already proven that.
"Sir, I promise you today that I will give Elizabeth all that I am. I will never make the living you do."
"Jack, Elizabeth could care less with how much money you make. If you love her, work with her for your future, and live life with her, then she will be extremely happy. You don't have to give her material things. If she's happy, I'll be happy."
Jack nodded his head. "I can promise you that I will give her everything I am. I do believe we can live a very happy life with each other."
"I believe so too."
"Sir, do you have any concerns?" Jack shifted his feet. He was still nervous.
"If you love my daughter with all of your heart, do the best for her, and live your life with her, I have no concerns. I like you, Jack. I do believe you are a good fit for my daughter. I already know you will do whatever you have to do to protect her. I just ask one thing."
"Yes sir, what is it?"
"Please wait until at least after your freshman year in college before you two are married."
"I promise you that. I don't know when I will ask her to marry me, but I will promise we will not be married before we start college."
William nodded his head. After a few long, agonizing moments of silence, Jack spoke.
"Sir…you haven't answered my question. Are you ok with the direction I want for Elizabeth and I to go?" Jack was so nervous that he wanted to have an answer that was easily understood. He didn't want an ambiguous answer.
William smiled at Jack's insistence for a clear answer. He was the same way with Grace's father. He figured it was just the nervousness of the situation.
"Give my daughter your heart, and I will give you my blessing."
"Thank you, sir."
…
After spending some time with Steven's mom, he and Connie decided they wanted to go out and celebrate the news. They went to a small mom and pop's sandwich shop and then went to the park to eat. Sitting at the park was their thing if they had a little bit of time.
"So, you're ok if I crash all your boy chasing shenanigans at college?"
"Steven." Connie playfully slapped his bicep. "You know better than that." She rolled her eyes. "I'm excited about you attending Trinity with me."
"Good. I was hoping you would say that."
"Did you ever doubt it?" She asked as she laid her head on his shoulder.
"I'm not sure why you ever agreed to go out with me in the first place. You are perfect. You could have your pick of any boy you want, and the pool size of guys will grow exponentially in college."
"Silly guy." She giggled. "I haven't dated too much. You know that. Plus, I don't want to date anyone other than you. You're it for me." Her voice softened with the last statement.
"You're the one for me." He kissed the top of her head. "I'm excited about attending Trinity."
"Because of your grandfather?"
"That's part of it. I have always liked the school. Plus, my favorite person will be attending too."
"Well…aren't you the sweet talker."
"The day we met. Jack and I were in the locker room. I asked him about you. We had a couple of classes together, but you never noticed me. He said that any guy would be lucky to have your attention. That you were a good person. Then we walked out, and this beautiful woman was standing there. You took my breath. He leaned over and whispered, 'ten seconds of courage can change your life.'"
Connie laughed. "I most certainly noticed you. You were the one who didn't notice me."
"I have noticed you for two years. We had biology together our sophomore year."
"Wait…you noticed me our sophomore year and didn't say anything?" Her head shot up from his shoulder.
"Of course…you sat two rows from me and one seat ahead. On the first day of class, you wore khakis shorts with a white top. The second day you wore a red top with a white skirt that stopped at your knees. Red looks really good on you by the way. Then the third day you began talking to Jason."
After a few seconds of shock, she began to laugh. "I only talked to Jason hoping to get you jealous so you would talk to me."
"Well, it worked." He huffed. "But you went out with him."
"Twice and it didn't work in making you jealous."
"It worked. I thought you two dated a lot longer."
"He wanted to, but I was never really into him. Especially after our first date."
"So, we could have been dating since our sophomore year?"
"Yes if you would have just asked me. I thought you were all cute with your messy hair."
"Where was Jack with his 'ten seconds of courage to change your life' speech two years ago?"
"You know that little saying is something Steph, Elizabeth, and I use on each other. I don't even remember who used it first or where we got it from. I think it was a book or a movie."
"So, why didn't you use that ten second of courage thing two years ago? I wanted to get to know you, but you were way out of my league."
"You're out of my league."
Steven leaned in and gently kissed her on the lips. It was a loving kiss.
"I think we both know I am fighting out of my weight class with you. I just hope you won't realize it."
"Steven, I'm not going anywhere." She sweetly stated as she leaned forward for a kiss.
…
"Where have you been?!" Demanded Julie as Elizabeth walked into the home through the garage door. Her hand on her hip and her right foot tapping on the kitchen floor.
"Excuse me?" Elizabeth's attitude instantly matched her sister's. "I was at the library for reading time and then met up with Steph for lunch. Connie didn't come because she was with Steven. "What's your problem?"
"Jack was here."
"Why was he here? He knows I go to the library on Saturday mornings."
"I don't know. He was dressed up and spoke with father for an hour in the library. He showed up not long after you left."
"Why on earth would he do that?" Elizabeth placed her bag on the kitchen island. She pulled her phone out to see if he had texted her. He didn't.
"I don't know. Father hasn't said anything about it. I did see Jack speak with mother for a few minutes right before he left."
"That's odd." She thought for a moment. "Father hasn't said anything?"
"No. He and mother were in the library for a little while after Jack left, but neither one of them said anything." Julie stated.
"Why would he be here?" Her voice trailed off when her phone vibrated. She looked and noticed a picture of Jack appear with his text.
J – Hey you busy tonight
Elizabeth turned the phone so her little sister could read the text.
E – Not that I know of
J – Would you like to go out with me
E – Of course I can never say no to you
J – I'll pick you up at six
J – Wear something nice but warm
E – Where are you taking me
J – See you at six
E – Jack where are you taking me
J – Dressy and warm
E – Jack
J – I love you
E – I love you
"So?" Julie asked. She had watched her sister's face during the exchange. It changed from excited, confused, frustrated, to love.
"He just asked me out. He'll be here at six. He told me to dress in something nice and warm."
"In something nice and warm?"
"That's all he said. He wouldn't tell me where."
"Oh…so that's when the frustrated expression came."
"He does that often." She spoke softly. It did frustrate her a little that he wouldn't tell her, but she also enjoyed the fact that he thought enough of her to try to surprise her. He worked at their relationship.
"And you're nosey and don't like it when he doesn't tell you things."
"I'm not nosey!" She declared with a huff.
"Elizabeth. I have known you forever."
"That's enough from you." She smiled and playfully pointed her finger at her little sister. "Sometimes he surprises me with our dates and some other things. I don't necessarily like not knowing, but I do love that he tries so hard to impress me. He doesn't have to, but he does try. When he does, I feel special. Plus, he does a great job in making the arrangements."
"He's a keeper for sure."
"He is." Elizabeth's voice was full of love. So, I wonder why he was here speaking with father?"
…
"Do you know why Jack came by this morning?" Grace asked her friend when she answered the phone.
"No. I was going to ask you that question."
"He just showed up and asked to speak with William. He was dressed up and very nervous."
"That doesn't make any sense. He was supposed to be at the children's center working with the kids. He also knows Elizabeth volunteers at the library."
"I tried to get William to tell me about it, but he wouldn't. He said I will know later tonight."
"That's odd…that's what Thomas said."
The conversation stopped for a few moments. Both ladies were trying to figure out why Jack would deviate so far from his normal Saturday schedule. They also didn't know why he was so dressed up to speak with William. Especially with Elizabeth not being home.
"Charlette…" Grace began very slowly in a soft voice. A thought had come to her mind, but she wasn't sure if she should say anything. "…do you think…"
"Isn't it too early for that?"
"Maybe…but why else would he…"
"Grace…please don't get my hopes up!"
"I know but why else would he be here without Elizabeth and speak to William for an hour in the library alone?"
"I want this Grace…but I hope they wait a little bit before…"
"I agree."
…
Jack stood in front of his mirror fussing over his tie. After the sixth attempt, he still couldn't tie it just right. He closed his eyes trying to calm his frustration. Jack was wearing a royal blue suit with a white tie. He looked up in the mirror when he heard someone clear his throat in the doorway.
"Are you ok son?"
"Yeah…this stupid tie isn't working out for me."
"Take a deep breath."
Jack did what his father told him.
"Now, I showed you how to tie a tie years ago. Calm your mind and just tie your tie. Now, what's the plan?"
Jack worked on this tie for a few seconds and let out a deep breath when he tied it correctly. He adjusted his light yellow shirt's sleeves and then readjusted his tie once again. He picked up his dress coat and quickly examined it for any pieces of lent. When he was satisfied it was clean, he slipped the coat on himself. He turned his attention to his father.
"I'm going with my original plan that we talked about earlier."
"I think that's a good plan. You have thought it through, and I think you are making the right decision."
"Thank you."
"Now, you look great. The suit looks very good on you. Now, are you sure you have enough money?"
"I have plenty. I'm good. Thank you."
"It's time for you to leave so you won't be late."
"Thanks Pa…for everything."
…
Jack parked his truck beside the water fountain in the center of the Thatcher driveway. It was his normal parking spot every time he came to Elizabeth's house. He stood beside his truck for a moment. He adjusted the sleeves of his shirt and coat. He checked his reflection in the mirror. He adjusted his tie even though it didn't need it. He also ran his fingers through his hair even though it wasn't messed up. One last deep breath, he turned toward the front door of the Thatcher mansion. "Ten seconds of courage Jack…ten seconds…" He repeated to himself.
Grace opened the front door and gasped at the sight in front of her. Jack was standing tall and handsome as ever. The blue suit fit him perfectly and the blue made his emerald eye shine even brighter. The two colors of blue and yellow came together perfectly. He was one handsome young man.
"Jack…look at you. You look so handsome."
"Thank you, mom."
"Come in, come in. It's way too cold for you to stand outside."
"Thank you."
Grace was shocked at how Jack looked. He was dressed better than she had ever seen him. She was grateful she talked Elizabeth into the yellow dress. The dress was floor length and she recommended for her to wear thick tights under the dress since Jack told her to dress warm. Elizabeth wasn't too happy but admitted her mother may be right. Grace knew the dress would look perfect with Jack's blue suit.
"Elizabeth will be ready in a minute. Why don't you sit down, and I'll go and get her."
"Thank you. Oh…these are for you." Jack handed her a bouquet of flowers.
"What did I tell you about getting my wife flowers?" William stated as he walked into the living room and then foyer.
"Well, maybe you should take lessons from him." Grace nodded toward Jack. "Thank you, Jack. They are beautiful." She accepted the flowers. "I'll put these in a vase and get one ready for Elizabeth's flowers. Then I will check on her."
As Grace turned toward the kitchen, she glanced up and noticed Elizabeth standing at the top of the staircase.
"Wow…" Jack whispered.
Elizabeth was standing in a beautiful yellow dress. There was a small design in the pattern of the dress, but Jack couldn't make it out due to the distance between them. He knew the color of the design was blue. It almost matched his suit. With all the love in his body, he looked from her head to her feet and back up. His eyes slowly followed her body. He was trying to take in every detail of his precious girlfriend, but he knew he wouldn't remember any of it. He wanted to rush up the stairs to be with her, but his legs weren't working. His brain wasn't working nor were his lungs. While he was breathing, the air wasn't reaching his lungs. The only thing that was working was his heart. It was racing faster than any basketball game he has ever played in.
When Elizabeth saw Jack standing in the foyer in the blue suit, she stopped walking. She didn't think she could move a muscle. He was devastatingly handsome in the suit that made his eyes even more vibrant. Just like Jack, she took a few moments to drink in all of him. The suit fit him perfectly. While it covered his body and gave no hints of what lay under it, she knew what the suit was hiding. She reached out her fingertips like she was trying to touch him. "Jack…" She whispered.
Grace and William stood watching both young people. In their opinion, there was nothing but love expressed between them. There weren't any lustful expressions or looks that made them question anything. The looks were between two people that were absolutely in love. Jack may not have told William that he loved his daughter, but anyone could see that he did. After their discussion earlier, he was perfectly ok with everything.
"Jack, why don't you walk up the stairs and escort Elizabeth down."
Jack slowly tore her eyes from his girlfriend and looked at William. He was shocked by his statement. In the many occasions he was at the Thatcher's home, it was never suggested that he could go upstairs.
"Go. She may need your help. I believe she is in as much awe as you are. Maybe you two can help each other."
William nodded toward the stairs. Then he walked toward his wife who was standing at the entrance of the kitchen. She was as surprised at her husband's statement as Jack was. She watched her husband walk her way.
"Come on dear, let's get those flowers in some water and get a vase ready for Elizabeth's bouquet."
Jack slowly walked up the stairs toward Elizabeth. She hadn't moved since she first noticed him. She wanted to meet him halfway down the steps, but Jack's eyes and his expression reached through her brain and hit the pause button. She simply couldn't force any part of her to work. She thought he was so handsome in his suit. However, it was the eyes and dimples that paused her mind. His eyes screamed 'I love you' and she could easily see it. Jack's dimples were on full display. She couldn't remember when they were ever so big.
Jack's body was on autopilot. If he had to think about what he was doing, he wouldn't have the ability to breathe. This precious woman in front of him was stunningly beautiful. For Jack, that was a great understatement. She was beyond beautiful. Her smile and those beautiful blue eyes were the driving force that drew him up the stairs.
Jack stood in front of her still holding the flowers he bought for her. They were just a foot from each other. They intently looked into the eyes of each other. Jack reached up and took a small lock of hair and moved it over her shoulder. He smiled when he noticed her body shiver. He felt like he was supposed to say something. He just didn't know what to say.
"Hi." He whispered.
"Hi." She giggled in return.
"You…you look…" He just couldn't get his brain to function properly. He shook his head from side to side trying to get his brain to function properly. "Elizabeth…you are breath takingly beautiful."
Elizabeth blinked rapidly. "Jack…you are so handsome." She reached up and patted his chest.
The young couple looked at each other with goofy smiles. They just couldn't get over how the other person looked.
"Are those for me?"
"What?" He tilted his head to the side. She always thought his confused look was adorable.
She giggled as she nodded toward Jack's left hand where he was holding the flowers. "Those silly…"
"Oh…yes. They are for you."
Jack extended his arm for her to take. She smiled when he tensed under her touch. For some odd reason she couldn't explain, this moment was just special. She didn't understand why but knew it to be true. This was simply different.
Grace insisted on getting a picture of the couple before leaving. Elizabeth rolled her eyes until she saw how the picture came out. It was a perfect picture.
"Text me that picture please." She whispered to her mom.
"Me too." Jack added.
Jack assisted Elizabeth into his truck. It was a cold evening. So, he left his truck running so it would be warm. When Elizabeth sat down and felt the warmth, she was grateful he did. Jack slowly walked in front of the truck. Never taking his eyes off his girlfriend. She intently watched him. Never taking her eyes off him.
"So, where are we going?"
"Do you trust me?"
"Of course I do."
"Good." He reached for her hand after placing the truck in gear. "I hope you enjoy the evening. Oh, if I haven't told you tonight…you look lovely."
"Thank you." She blushed slightly at his gesture.
…
Elizabeth smiled when Jack pulled into the parking lot of Olympic. She remembered this was where they ate for their first date. It was really good food, but she hasn't been back since that night. She also thought they may be a little over dressed for this restaurant. She turned to see Jack smiling. The smile was huge. Yet, somehow it continued to grow.
"I hope you like this place."
"I do. This is the place we ate on our first date."
"It is. Are you ready? They are expecting us at six forty five."
"I'm ready." She stated as she reached for her door handle.
Jack held onto the hand he had been holding since they left her house. He slightly shook his head no. This was a constant issue with them. He always wanted to open the door for her. She released her hold on the handle and gave him a small, knowing smile. He leaned in and gently kissed her. "Thank you."
Again, they watched each other as he intently walked in front of the truck. When he opened the truck door, she accepted his outstretched hand to assist her down. Once she was settled, he extended his arm, and she easily slid her arm through his. She placed her hand on his forearm and pulled herself a little closer to him. "Thank you." She stated as they began to walk toward the restaurant.
As they stepped into the restaurant, many of the people's eyes turned toward them. Elizabeth wasn't too fond of being the center of attention. She became a little nervous and self conscious. Jack leaned his shoulder to hers and whispered.
"Everyone's jealous because I have the prettiest young lady on my arm." His confidence in his statement made her blush a little more than the people staring at them. She didn't raise her head, but she looked up in his direction. He was standing tall looking forward.
"Thank you." She whispered.
The lady at the front podium asked for their reservation. Jack told her and then she smiled a big smile at the couple. This confused Elizabeth a little. She turned her attention toward Jack. He smiled at her and nodded for her to follow the woman. Jack placed his right hand on the small of her back to guide her to follow. As they made their way through the tables, Elizabeth could feel the stares of everyone. She relaxed when Jack increased the pressure of his hand on her lower back.
"Like me, their admiring your beauty."
"Jack…"
She gasped when she looked up and noticed a table that was decorated completely differently than any other tables. It had a red tablecloth with three red roses in the middle with two lit candles on each side. In her opinion, it was beautiful.
"Jack…you did this?" She questioned him when she stopped walking.
"For you." He stated and then led her to her chair. He pulled out the chair and she sat down admiring all of his efforts. She was truly moved by his actions.
"Thank you, Jarrick." She stated as she reached for his hand.
The restaurant was full of people, which was typical for a Saturday evening. However, the young couple felt like they were in a private dining room. The table was in the corner of the large dining area. People were at the tables around them, but the couple just didn't notice them. Elizabeth heard a middle aged couple that was beside them.
"He went all out." The lady stated.
"It's just two candles and a few roses dear."
"They look to be about sixteen or seventeen. For teenagers, that's going all out. He had to call ahead to have the restaurant to do this. Why don't you do that for me anymore?" She glared at her husband.
The man looked back to his wife. "If you look at me like she is looking at him, I'll move mountains for you."
Elizabeth squeezed Jack's hand three times and mouthed the words that action meant. She felt incredibly special that he would go through all this trouble for just her. She felt incredibly special.
Dinner was very nice. Their conversation flowed easily like it always had. The waitress was extra attentive, and they both appreciated that. When dinner was finished, Jack took both of her hands.
"Elizabeth, I'm not ready to take you home yet."
"I'm not ready to go home. The last time we were here, we went for a walk. But Jack, it's way too cold for a walk on the beach."
"Would you take a walk with me if I promise to keep you warm?"
She didn't hesitate for a second. "Jack, I'll go anywhere with you."
When the bill was paid, Jack stood and helped Elizabeth with her chair. As they sat at the table, Elizabeth didn't notice people watching her. But when she stood and Jack escorted her out of the dining room, she noticed everyone watching them. This time however, she didn't care. She was with Jack, and he had tried his best to make the night perfect. She did notice some of the ladies' faces were a little envious of her.
She was a little confused when Jack led her to his truck. She thought they were going for a walk on the beach just like their first date. Jack quickly opened the truck door and pulled forward the back of the bench seat. He pulled out a thick blanket. He wrapped it around Elizabeth to keep her warm on a cold night.
"Thank you, Jack."
"Don't want Princess Beth to get cold." He teased.
"Jack…"
When he extended his arm, she willingly accepted it. They walked on the sidewalk toward the beach. When they finally reached the area of the beach where snow wasn't piled up, Jack escorted her on the sand. They didn't walk too far because it was bitterly cold, and the sand was difficult to walk in. They finally reached the area where he wanted to be.
'Hey, this is where we stopped at the first time we were here."
"It is. You have a good memory, Ms. T." Jack stopped to face here. He tightened up the blanket around her and ran his hands up and down her arms. "Are you ok?"
"I love being here with you, but it's cold."
"It is." He stepped a little closer. "Elizabeth, would you please dance with me?"
She matched him and stepped closer to her. "I would love to dance with you."
When she heard music, she opened her blanket. He stepped into her open arms, and she enclosed him inside the blanket. She wrapped her arms around him. She realized she wasn't cold any longer with Jack wrapped in the blanket with her. She knew the music was coming from his cell phone.
"Jack, you did too much tonight. The candles…the dinner…" Her voice trailed off.
"You are worth so much more than I can ever do for you. I just hope you're ok with me."
"I'm more than ok with you. I love you, Jack." She leaned forward for a soft kiss.
After the kiss, he told her that he loved her. They swayed for a few more minutes. They were enjoying the closeness. Her shampoo and perfume were intoxicating.
"Elizabeth…" Jack began. She could see that he was nervous. She knew Jack well. She knew not to push him. She had to let him find his own words. When he got out of his head and spoke from his heart, it always moved her. "I would like to speak to you about something important."
She nodded her head to encourage him to continue.
"We haven't really talked about it before. Well…that's not true. We spoke about it for about one minute at the Duck Park after that horrible Monday."
Jack was talking so quickly she was having trouble following what he was saying. She grinned. When she did, he stopped talking.
"I'm talking fast again, aren't I?"
She giggled as she nodded her head. Then she leaned forward and kissed his lips gently.
He gave her a smile. "I love you." He stated and then continued. He didn't give her time to say anything. "Elizabeth, I would like to discuss our future." She nodded her head to encourage him to continue. "I told you at the Duck Park that I always thought I would marry the first lady I kissed and dated. I didn't want to date around."
"I remember."
He stepped a half a step closer. They were now completely touching. He kept his face a couple of inches from her. His voice was soft. Yet, his eyes were screaming from the mountain tops that he loved her fully and completely.
"I think we are too young to be married, but I want you to know where I envision our relationship is going."
Elizabeth's heart pounded in her chest. She was hoping this was going in the direction she had been dreaming about.
"Elziabeth, one day I will ask you to marry me. I can only see my future with you in it as my soulmate…my wife…the mother of my children…my lover. In every dream I have about my future, you are a major part of it. I think we are great together. You are the one for me. I want you to understand where I stand with us. It is you and no one else. The more I'm with you, the more I want to be with you. You intrigue me…you capture me and won't let me go. For that, I am eternally grateful."
She wanted to say something, but felt she needed to let Jack speak. She was loving every word coming out of Jack's mouth. Each word, each syllable was touching her soul.
Jack paused to make sure he wasn't freaking her out. He only saw love in her eyes. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box. Elizabeth gasped at the sight of the box. She inhaled quickly when Jack opened the box. Inside was a beautiful Claddagh ring.
"Jack…"
"Elizabeth, it's a Claddagh ring."
"A promise ring?"
"Something like that. A Claddagh ring is traditionally worn with the intention of conveying the wearer's relationship status. This particular ring, with the heart center piece, represents love. I had the jeweler use an emerald to remind you of my eyes. You always say you love my eyes."
"I do. Oh Jack, it's perfect."
"According to tradition, if you wear the ring on the right ring finger with the point of the heart toward the fingertips, the wearer is single and might be looking for love. On the right hand with the point of the heart toward the wrist, the wearer is in a relationship. Someone has already captured their heart. On the ring finger on the left hand with the point of the heart toward the fingertips, the wearer is engaged. On the left hand with the point of the heart toward the wrist, the wearer is married."
"It's beautiful Jack. The emerald matches your eyes perfectly."
"Elizabeth, will you accept this ring with the knowledge that one day I will be coming to you with an engagement ring and a proposal of marriage?"
"I do with all of my heart." She nodded her head as she spoke.
"Are you sure Ms. T?"
"With all of my heart Jack. You have my heart. No one can take it from you."
Jack pulled the ring out of the box. Elizabeth extended her left hand. She smiled at Jack's expression.
"Left ring finger with the point of the heart toward my fingertips, please."
"That symbolizes that we are engaged."
"Semantics Mr. Thornton. Were you serious when you stated that you will be asking for my hand in marriage in the future?"
"With all of my heart, Elizabeth."
"We may not be officially engaged, but Jack, I have every intention of accepting your proposal when you ask. You have my heart, Jack. Point of the heart toward the fingertips please." She raised her left hand and extended her ring finger.
Jack slowly, and with purpose, placed the ring on her left ring finger and pushed the ring into its proper place with the point of the heart toward her fingertips.
"There you go Ms. T…one step toward out life together."
"It's perfect Jack. It's just perfect." She admired the ring for a moment. "This ring isn't coming off my finger until you give me my engagement ring."
"Perfect."
She turned her attention back to Jack. Without saying a word, he slowly leaned in and met him for a kiss. The kiss began gently and full of love. As the kiss continued, it turned more passionate. They held each other as their tongues continued their magical dance.
They finally pulled back enough to catch their breath. "Jack, you're very good at that."
"I think you are very good at that."
"Thank you for tonight. It has been perfect."
"Yes, you made it perfect. Are you ready to get out of the cold?"
"Is it cold?" She honestly asked.
"I love you, sweetheart.
"I love you."
As they turned to make their way back to the truck, Elizabeth stopped when they were halfway there.
"Wait…"
"What?" He turned toward his girlfriend.
"Ms. T…" She spoke softly. She thought for a moment. "It's the same last initial."
Jack's face turned red, and it wasn't because it was cold outside.
"Thatcher…Thornton…"
Jack shifted on his feet. He was busted.
"You've been calling me Ms. T because our last names begin with T?" She asked as she reached for her new ring.