They talked a bit more between comfortable bits of silence for several minutes before Alfred announced, "Kane Manor approaching!", and Martha sighed deeply, smiling at Thomas, "Care to walk me up the stairs, Thomas?", as the limo went into the long driveway to the circular part before the short sidewalk and the few stairs to the front door.
"Of course, Martha.", Thomas said as they got out of the limo before he escorted her to the front door. "Think your folks are still out?", he asked her as she nodded.
"Oh, more than likely, probably went to get a late meal at one of the fancy restaurants so it might be almost midnight by the time they get back.", Martha said.
Thomas nodded, "Makes sense...I think it might be the same thing for my folks unless they're back already...I...May I invite you for a brisk walk in one of the parks tomorrow with the sun out to warm the chill somewhat?".
Martha smiled warmly, "I'd love to...And on Christmas after tomorrow, I expect to be kissed on the lips when we're alone, even if I don't mind Alfred chaperoning us...I never had been kissed on the lips before...", shyly ducking her head down.
"Alas, that isn't right...You deserve a Christmas kiss, and so it shall be, I swear it...Until then?", Thomas smiled, and Martha smiled, "Until then...And for that kiss on my hand, here's my reply to it...", before leaning up slightly to peck him on the cheek, and blushing with a wink, she left him as the door opened with the butler welcoming her in.
Thomas politely tapped his hat and went back to the limo, and as Alfred drove off, Thomas raised a hand to his cheek, looking stupefied and awestruck as he flashed again and again in his head through that romantic gesture she did.
"Well, sir?", Alfred asked as Thomas moved his way closer to the driver's side of the limo, "Well, what, Alfred?".
"Seems like you and young Miss Kane hit it off quite swimmingly.", the mid-30s butler chuckled as Thomas went a bit red faced, "You- you really think so?".
"Well, if what happened tonight was anything but that, then I don't know anything anymore...", Alfred mentioned with a wry smile, glancing through the rearview mirror at him.
Thomas gave a chuckle, "Touche...Do...do you think I might finally know love in her? With Martha?", and Alfred replied, "Master Wayne, if I may be bold here, I truly believe that if you don't stray away, you might just find that Miss Kane is the other half of your heart, and as time goes on, you will learn that your heart has room for perhaps future people that will be part of your life...", with a smile.
Looking at him in slight surprise before smiling, Thomas replied, "Well, your wisdom has never failed me before, Alfred...I will follow your advice in this...Still, I can't believe that I actually did it...I asked her out...Yes, it's a courtship for a year and a day, to see how this goes and all, but I..I actually jumped off the diving board for this...There's something about her, Alfred...something that makes me feel...", trying to search for the word.
"Don't try to force something, sir... that's often a fatal trap.", Alfred advised as Thomas nodded. "Right, right... we'll... just see how this goes, right?", Thomas said as he took a deep breath and retreated into his mind to think more about the night but what laid in their future.
Alfred smiled warmly, hoping he'd be there to see his dear friend to have his old and new wishes coming true within time, given patience and understanding.
That night sparked a steady, blossoming, and wonderful relationship between Martha Kane and Thomas Wayne, with that Christmas week up to New Year's Eve, promising to trade letters and special phone calls during the weekends, courting for the year and day from that night, only visiting either town around Harvard or John Hopkins during holiday breaks or important dates like Valentine's Day, and then returning to Gotham for the summer before heading back to university within the autumn, even making their relationship a tad bit more intimate and discovering that during all of this courtship, they grew feelings for each other, becoming rather fond of each other and all, discovering the previously unknown emotion of true love more and more with every date and such while happily relieved that their parents have backed off, wanting the match on paper and all.
Then came Christmas 1986, the couple are having an intimate dinner within an outdoor fireplace, under the protected patio of the Kane Manor. Martha smiled warmly, "I see how you mean by Alfred's cooking, Thomas...Even the chefs in the restaurants couldn't compare...".
"I sometimes don't know where Alfred learned all that he's learned at his age. I mean, he's not that old, but still, seems like it should've taken much longer...", Thomas chuckled as he was subtly hiding something he had in his pocket that Martha still wasn't noticing.
"I suppose we all have our secrets...", Martha chuckled as Thomas nodded. "Yeah, we do. And there's one that I need to tell you.", he said as he dropped to one knee the moment she glanced away for a second.
Martha looked back from glancing at the beauty of the snow in the backyard and the gardens of her home, "Oh?", curiously putting her attention on Thomas before gasping softly, dropping the cling of silverware as her hands covered her mouth, "Thomas...", her eyes never leaving the sight of Thomas kneeling with an open ring box, revealing a beautiful yet simple diamond shaped like a heart, with pale blue tiny diamonds shaped like teardrops on either side, on a gold ring.
"Martha Rosalyn Kane, ever since you proposed the idea of courting for a year and day, I found out that I was missing something in my life, and finally knowing what love truly means, I realized it was you...You make me smile when I read your letters, you make me laugh when I talk to you on the phone, and you make me miss your wonderful personality when we have to end a date upon amazing, wonderful days, and I can finally say that I love you...Jesus Christ, I love you so much that I couldn't imagine a life without you anymore, and I hope you'll be part of my life forever as much as I'll be part of yours too...Would you marry me, not as the sole heir of the Wayne family, or as one of the upcoming trusted doctors of Gotham, but as the man of your dreams?", Thomas declared clearly, while being nervous on the inside.
"Yes!", Martha practically screamed before covering her mouth with just how loud she was. "Yes, Thomas Dorian Wayne, I will marry you!", she quickly took him into a hug and was kissing him repeatedly with just how happy she was at the moment in time. Her eyes were tearing up with joy as practically nothing could ruin that moment for her. And thankfully, throughout that holiday season, all was right with the world.
Now engaged, the couple had more intimate dates, figuring out shortcuts while working hard to finish their university final year, and acing the finals. They each went to each other's graduation happily within a week's difference, happily celebrating with an intimate party of their own, while watching themselves, of course.
They headed back to Gotham, where Thomas made himself a permanent guest of Kane Manor, waiting for the big day to be transferred into the Wayne name just like Martha's father swore to do, and enjoyed many wonderful dates on the outskirts of Gotham and in Gotham, with an occasional mischievous moment where Thomas got a sneak peek at Martha's figure in her modest yet slightly slimming one-piece swimsuit where he realized that Martha was planning those moments for the summer.
They happily planned the wedding details while doing their work of helping the unfortunate through Martha's charities and Thomas's job plus getting the news of getting the company's chair in the new year from Thomas' father, intent to get married on Christmas Eve.
Martha smiled so widely as she giggled at Thomas, taking a seat in the back of the 'Just Married' limo, "We did it, Thomas...We're married!", swooshing her skirts, as Alfred took the driver's seat, starting up the limo, with the distant witnesses waving and throwing rice, cheering.
"That went better than I thought...", Thomas admitted; considering the cold feet that he had throughout it, he almost didn't think he'd muster enough courage to be able to get through it all. Not to mention any sort of incidents with family as there was certainly probably some crazy distant relative that could cause a scene but thankfully didn't happen.
Martha caressed his cheek, "You were so brave, Thomas...I was so nervous too...But seeing you up there...Were you relieved to see me, hmm?", with a smile.
Thomas whispered, "Martha, when I saw you, I almost fell over from lack of breath...You in this gown...you look so beautiful like an angel...Mrs. Martha Rosalyn Wayne...Yes, I can get used to that...I love you...".
Martha blushed, smiling, "I love you too, Thomas...Can I tell you something? I...I actually planned back there, those days in the summer, giving you a preview...I hoped you saw me occasionally as I thought I saw something move in your guest bedroom window a couple of times...", biting her lip as she loved swimming every chance she could under favorable sunny days, as she had to stay inside on rainy days.
"You little tease...", Thomas smirked as he shook his head as she chuckled, "Well, obviously got your attention." Thomas looked deeply at his wife...gods, his wife, "And you still do...", and Martha blushed before whispering, "Kiss me, Thomas...".
"Martha...", Thomas whispered huskily as he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her tenderly yet passionately on the lips, and Martha moaned softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, caressing through his hair, barely glancing in relief to see that the limo window had closed up tight and well.
Thomas's hands caressed her back, staying well of boundaries until Martha says so, and Martha breathed huskily between passionate kisses, "Closer, Thomas...Please...", and Thomas embraced her closer, teasing her lips with his tongue, and she gasped and moaned in pleasure as their tongues danced in her mouth for the first time, almost pinning each other, mussing each other's hair and wedding clothes, ignoring everything else as it felt like just the two of them right now.
For about a half hour, they remained like that before a hard knock on the closed limo window was heard with Alfred's muffled yet clear voice replying, "We're approaching Wayne Manor, Mr. Wayne and Mrs. Wayne. Try to fix yourselves up for the staff who may be looking, until you are in your new accommodations of the family wing.", with a little teasing tilt to his voice.
Both of them blushed by hearing that one as they tried to make themselves more presentable. "So, we're starting our honeymoon tonight before leaving tomorrow?", Martha asked as Thomas nodded, "Certainly will be a fun week starting tomorrow, but nothing against us starting just a bit early.".
Martha smiled, "I still can't believe you're holding the surprise from me still...Come on, can you give me a hint, at least?", with a raised eyebrow.
Thomas smiled mischievously, "Well, I suppose...It's somewhere warm, and plenty of beautiful scenery with the bluest water where you would see incredible things through well enough...".
He could see the wheels turning in Martha's mind before she pouted, "There are so many places with that description...Florida, the Caribbean, Hawaii...".
"Certainly more than that...", Thomas chuckled. "But right now, tonight is here, and it'll just be the two of us once we get the place cleared out.", with a smile. "Even Alfred?", Martha raised an eyebrow.
"Gave him the week off. Lord knows he's earned a long vacation himself.", Thomas chuckled. Martha smiled with a nod, "Agreed...He has done so much good for us, chaperoning, advising you often and occasionally myself, keeping tabs on our charity work while we feed the unfortunate or driving us to several places around.".
Thomas nodded, "Indeed.", with a smile as he kissed Martha's knuckles and then her fingers lovingly as Martha blushed, and they heard the familiar crunch of the driveway on the circular curb, feeling the limo stop, waiting for Alfred to step out and open the door, with a smile, "Welcome home, sir and ma'am.".
"Thank you, Alfred...", Thomas smiled as he stepped out, turning around to lend a hand to Martha, bringing her out as she stepped out, smiling at Alfred, "Yes, thank you, Alfred.".
Alfred smiled, tapping his cap, "Always an honor to serve you two.", as the couple walked up the stairs, heading to the front door where the butler opened the door with a bow, "Mr. Wayne, Mrs. Wayne.".
The couple saw the lineup of smiling, packed servants clapping politely, creating a pathway for the couple to stride across the floor to the massive stairway, and they turned around, with Martha smiling happily, "Thank you, all of you, for welcoming us warmly. I know some of you do belong to the Wayne family, and some of you has retired from the Kane family to serve now in the Wayne family, and I do hope within the future, all your years of service will be sufficient, and we are thankful for it.".
Thomas smiled, nodding, "My wife is correct, and I will do my best to take care of this amazing place for this is my new home, and my wife deserves to be happy, and so, we have decided to give you all the week off, starting tonight, as you all deserve to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to the end of the year with your families, your loved ones and such, as we will be gone for our honeymoon, as it doesn't make sense to waste resources if you will, and please take any remaining food apart from our wedding private dinner as a rotting kitchen doesn't look good for Wayne Manor, would you agree?".
There were some nods and yeahs before Thomas gave one more nod. "Enjoy your time, everybody.", he said as the group broke off and started heading towards the kitchen while Alfred walked over to Thomas. "Last one out turns out the lights, am I to guess?", Alfred asked as Thomas shook his head.
"Please, Alfred, take what you'd like and head out and enjoy yourself.", Thomas said. Alfred cleared his throat, shaking his head slightly, "If it's all the same to you, sir, I think I'll stay just a little bit longer until we're the last three before I'll take my leave.".
Martha smiled, "I think he won't budge, Thomas.", and Thomas chuckled, sighing dramatically with a smile, "Very well, if you insist. Now, if you don't mind, I and my wife have a private wedding dinner to attend. We will ring for you to take the empty plates and all once we're done and turn out the lights of the rest of the place for us before you take your leave, is that clear?".
Alfred nodded, "Crystal clear, sir, it shall be done.", with a warm smile before leaving the couple, and Thomas then nodded before noticing that the other staff are gone from the room, and chuckled wryly, "Shall I carry you to our new accommodations, Martha?", with a smile.
Martha smiled, "Oh, yes.", as she giggled in surprise as Thomas then moved to scoop her up bridal style, as she wrapped her arms around him, and they headed to the family wing, to a whole new aligned master bedroom where a rolling cart of covered trays awaited besides the small tea table, closer and more intimate than the standard dining table, waiting for them to enjoy their private wedding dinner.
"Thank goodness that they changed out the furniture and all to our tastes all those weeks while planning out the wedding details...It would be so uncomfortable and weird to make love and sleep together in my parents' bed which would have conceived me in the first place...", Martha sighed in relief.
"Please, let's not try to think of that sort of thing, alright?", Thomas chuckled as Martha blushed, "Right, bad image and all...". She quickly shook her head, "But the night is all ours...".
"And I think it's perfect for us to consummate our wedding...", Thomas kissed her once more before the two of them would share a truly wonderful night of passion with one another.
Of course, they made sure to treasure every moment reverently and all as they didn't want to get too fast into it, yet they made sure to have passion in all of it, starting with teasing touches and pleasurable foreplay between their private romantic dinner, and removing their clothes, and gave each other much needed stress release before it was time to consummate their wedding nuptials, barely noticing that the annual faint sounds of the manor is gone, with almost all the lights out.
Martha whispered softly, looking into Thomas' eyes, "Do I look even more beautiful?", shyly blushing, and Thomas whispered, "Martha, you are a vision of incredible beauty, my amazing wife...".