Page 96 of Mail Order Splash

“I hope not too far gone.” We turned to face one another.

“Thank you”, she whispered.

Twenty minutes later we were again announced as Mr. and Mrs. Dalton Hawthorne. “You may kiss the bride” rang out in the quiet church. I leaned in and lightly kissed her on the lips.

I’ve been wanting to do that for a week now. She didn’t flinch.

As we walked down the aisle and out the doors, my mind raced. “Kleine, I was wondering something.”

“What’s that?”

“Would you date me?” We climbed into the waiting limo.

“Sure, why not. Where we going on our first date?”

“Sailing. I know this cool place underwater. I’ve heard there are mermaids there.”

“Good to know.”

The reception was Hawthorne glitz and glamour. Everyone who was anyone was in attendance. Kleine did amazing, meeting all the people that it took me years to warm up to me.

“Is this thing almost over? My feet are killing me.” She whispered in my year when we were having our first dance.

“We have to get through the cake, then a plane is waiting to get us out of town.” I looked down at her. “We’re still going, aren’t we?”

“Yes, we’re going. Bobby and Charlie have proven to me they can be there to help Josh on rescues.” She took the lead and spun us. “Look at me, I’m not even concerned that I didn’t put my bag in the car.”

“Progress. Progress is a good thing.”

Sometime around midnight while Murphy was still dancing in the middle of the floor, we said our goodbyes and boarded my jet.

“When you said a plane, I didn’t know you meant you had one of your own.” She ran a hand over the seats.

“We have one of everything dear wife, and now I would like to take a nap so we can be ready to start our honeymoon when we land.”

“Now you’re speaking my language. Lead the way.”

When we woke it was to a gentle rain. We’d landed at least an hour before waking but the pilot had been instructed to let us sleep. I’d been torn between not bombarding her with Hawthorne wealth or doing it the Hawthorne way. In the end, the Hawthorne way won. I’d deal with it later.

“Now, that is the way to fly.” She bounded out of the room, ready to go. “I can’t wait to see the coast.”

“I thought you might be excited to see the seals.”

“That too. Is that our motorhome? Why are there two?”

“You didn’t think I would travel without security after everything we’ve been through.”

“I guess they’ll be following us?”

“At a distance and, if we don’t feel like driving, we have backups.”

“You really are spoiled. I plan to teach you to cook and do laundry.”

“Fine, but I draw the line at ironing.”

The first few days we were like two friends spending time together rather than a newly married couple. I looked forward to evening when we would fall asleep together watching a movie. We would fold both couches down that were side-by-side, yet separate. On the third night, we camped out on the beach. Security had offered to build a fire then they disappeared. We walked along the water, listening to the seals in the distance. I loved when she got excited about them and told me every detail.

“I’m sorry, I get carried away. It must bore you.”

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