Page 96 of Forever Fickle

Karen saw the mischievous smile on Lindsey’s face as she turned back around, before taking a sip of her coffee.

“There, now they can focus, and we can eat breakfast as a family within the next twenty minutes or so,” Lindsey said primly. “More coffee, dear?”

“I’d love some,” Jim replied easily, winking at his wife. “Karen?”

“Please and thank you.”

Fifteen minutes later, they were saying grace before digging in. Jace sat immediately to her right and Jana across the way. Jim and Lindsey were sitting beside each other, talking about when the children were little and what they each did for a living before they retired. Karen shared, talking about her class, her time helping out at Flyboys, and her family.

“Are you planning on getting married here or in Texas?” his mother asked and Karen hesitated, feeling Jace’s hand tense on her.

“Texas,” Jace said quietly, surprising Karen. “We need to hammer out a few details and talk more, but I’d like to get married in Texas.”

“Really?” Jim asked, looking surprised. “Not here?”

“I’m sorry,” Jace began, hesitating, before speaking again. “Karen’s family is there, our home is there, her students, their families, my brothers from Afghanistan, and…”

“Your sister ishere,” Jana said bluntly, staring at Jace before looking incredulously at Karen, as if betrayed by the two of them. Karen put her hand on his knee, squeezing it silently in support of his decision. She knew why he was taking the heat – and it was for the both of them.

“And I want you there,” Jace replied softly. “I want all of you there. We can fly you there and there’s plenty of room. I’d like for you all to meet my brothers, my team, see where our lives are going to begin together, and…”

“Jace, Karen…” his father hesitated. “It’s just a surprise, that’s all. It’s your wedding and we wouldn’t miss it for the world. Just tell us when and where – and we’ll all be there, son.”

“Have you thought of colors?” Jana asked. “Can we look at magazines together? I want to help.”

“I’d love your help,” Karen said softly, looking at Lindsey, who remained quiet. “We’ve got a lot to talk about, a lot of planning, and we are still in the beginning stages, but yes – I will be doing a lot of the planning because Jace is still active duty.”

“For now…” he interjected – and she saw his parents look at each other in surprise.

Wow. They were dropping bombshells left and right, apparently.

“Perhaps now isn’t the time to discuss some of this, because there will be a lot of tension, feelings, and things could change. Let’s focus on enjoying the holiday together and…”

“Let me get a scratch pad because we need to talk – as a family,” Lindsey said quietly. “I don’t know if this is something that can wait or be discussed via email, waiting on a reply from Jace that could take a week.”

“Sorry, mom,” he said instantly, flinching.

“I don’t mean it badly, but sometimes the internet has been spotty since you were stationed there and if any of us need to make a decision, then it needs to happen.”

Lindsey sat down with a pencil, while Jim got up and cleared the table quickly. Karen turned at Jace in shock and gave him a pointed glance. He sighed heavily and got up, pulling Karen with him.

“We’ll be right back,” he said bluntly, pulling her out toward the hallway – before opening a doorway that led down to the basement. Karen followed him down, feeling a little ungainly on the steep stairs, and smelled the mustiness of the unused space.

“What’s going on?”

Jace turned, before smiling apologetically and leaning on what looked like an old pool table.

“I needed to get out of there for a minute, so I didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings,” he said simply, holding out his hands towards her. “Let’s talk for a few, so we can decide what we want to do.”

“I figured we were about to be railroaded,” Karen said honestly, hoping she didn’t insult him. “I know how my mom would be and it would be in ‘full planning mode’ the moment she hears… and I need to call her in a little bit.”

“What do you want?” he asked firmly. “It’s our wedding, it will be our marriage, and we need to be a team, making decisions together. Sorry about the Texas thing, but I really want my friends with me as my groomsmen and I figured it would be easier to fly my family than all eight of theirs – not including my friends that are still stationed overseas.”

“Good point.”

“Why don’t we call your mother, and our friends, in a little bit, together?”

“I’d like that,” she admitted.

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