Page 101 of Forever Fascinating

“Can I remind you that your parents are standing right here?” she smiled, suddenly realizing what he was doing. He was including his family in this moment, the only way he knew how. “They definitely did not know that we’d already talked about getting married because I’m never letting you go, buster. Your poor mom looks like she is near tears.”

“Ohhh my sweet baby boy! Sam, did you hear that? My boy is going to get married to this pretty girl.”

“She’s beautiful, Ma… on the inside and outside,” Matthew corrected, chuckling. “Can you give her a hug for me? Because there is nothing better than holding my girl close and seeing that smile.”

“She’s smiling right now,” Anna volunteered tearfully, wiping her eyes. “And you’re right. She’s so pretty, Matthew, and is so sweet.”

“Yeah, she is,” Matthew’s voice was tender. “So, Jana… how do you feel about getting married in Iceland? Can you get a dress in the next few weeks? If you’ll book the plane tickets for us, I’ll handle everything else, because I want it to be a little bit of a surprise.”

“You want… to… get married…” she stammered, in disbelief. “In Iceland? You want to…elope?”

“I thought maybe my adventurous girl would like to make a few more memories with a guy who’s wildly crazy about her,” he said softly. “And I actually have two minutes left on the calling card, I promise this time.”

“Yes…” she uttered, feeling tears sting her eyes. “I’m all in, remember? I would marry you anywhere, at any time.”

“Gosh, I hope so – and I hope you never think differently.”

“Never.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too…” she breathed, just as the phone line went dead – and she was tackled in a bear hug by Matthew’s mom.

* * *

Hours later,she was sitting in a restaurant with her parents and his parents, while they shared a meal, along with a sloshy mixed drink that she immediately watered down slightly after the Ouzo. She did not want to make a fool of herself, get mouthy, or look like a lush in front of Matthew’s parents.

Sam was looking supremely proud of his son and chatting up a storm with her father. Apparently, Sam was once in the Navy and had met one of the other pilots on a flight to Texas while they were stationed out there in Ghazni with her brother and Matthew.

Anna was in heaven.

She, her mother, and Jana were all three sitting close, and she listened fascinated as Anna regaled her with stories about Matthew as a little boy.

Apparently, he had quite a little mouth on him, after his father had left, and Jana understood why. Anna had worked two jobs to keep him fed and clothed because he was growing like a weed – and that was how she’d met her current husband.

Sam had started coming over, playing ball with Matthew, and being the father that he never had.

“Oh, they had some terrible fights when we first got married, because they were trying to see where they fit in the household. My Matthew had been by himself so much for two years – and then there was suddenly this man there who wouldn’t let him get away with anything,” Anna smiled tearfully, reaching for Sam’s hand. “I may have brought my baby boy into this world, but Sam taught him to be a gentleman.”

“Awww…” Jana smiled tenderly, looking at the duo.

“Yep. Insisted he take ballroom dancing so as a young man he could impress the girls. Ohhhh, Matthew hated that,” Anna chuckled… and Jana laughed openly in delight.

“Thank you, Sam,” Jana smiled, leaning forward at the table. “Because of you, that’s how we met. We were dancing at my brother’s wedding, and I was completely in awe of how beautifully he swirled me around the room.”

“The kid’s got skills,” Jim admitted, “I had cut in during one of their dances, and when I was stepping on my own two feet? Matthew took over for me.”

“You’ll have to remind him about that,” Sam teased. “He let the air out of two of my tires one afternoon to try and keep from going to dance classes.”

The conversation went on for hours as she listened, fascinated, and realized that his parents loved him very much, having focused every waking moment on making sure Matthew had the best they could – and that he didn’t feel the pang of loss as badly as he could have. She couldn’t imagine what he must have gone through, he and his mother being rejected by his father… and what that could do to a person.

He had such a big heart, was so loving, yet so frightened to let anyone in – which made what they had just that much more precious to Jana. She had the waitress take a photo of the entire group and promptly emailed it to Matthew so he could see it, needing to share this unexpected moment with him.

The next few weeks were full of shopping, searching for homes in the area, and researching Iceland. She asked for little hints here and there, but only was told something when she needed to book the plane ticket. They were flying into Reykjavik… and that was the only hint she had.

Matthew had been firm on parts of the trip being a surprise.

“If I was there,” he’d told her over the phone, “then I would have planned a surprise for you, knelt before you, and asked you to marry me properly… but because of our lives, the distance, and my plans? I kinda needed to get things lined up and make sure we were certain about eloping.”

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