Chapter 61
Promises, Promises
Randi didn’t realize how tired she’d been over the last few days and was embarrassed when she woke to find that they were about to land. She yawned and smiled at Martin who also looked like he’d been sleeping. “Did I sleep through the whole trip?”
“Yes, you did. I guess you didn’t think much of first class.”
“It’s not that . . . I’m just so tired. I’ve not had much real sleep the last few nights. I’ve been thinking and worrying about this thing with Mom. I don’t know what to do.”
“We’ll work it out. Just enjoy this trip and try not to think about your troubles.”
“I will do my best, and I apologize for sleeping. I promise I’ll stay awake through the wedding.”
“You’d better, sleeping beauty, but I can’t complain. I think I was out for most of it, too. I’ve had a lot on my mind. Being the scoundrel that I am takes a lot out of a man.”
Randi smiled. “I’m surprised my quiet mother said all those things. It makes me proud and ashamed at the same time.”
“It was brass for sure. But as I said, we are not thinking about our problems, just the good times that are ahead.”
Randi leaned in and gave him a quick kiss, and he smiled. “Starting the good times a little sooner than I planned?”
“Why not? I’m on vacation with my so very handsome boyfriend and I’m going to enjoy it.” She was going to steal another kiss but the seatbelt sign began to flash so they both buckled up.
“Will you be playing a part in the wedding?”
“I’m not sure. I might be standing in as a best man.”
“That sounds good. I’m sure Rafa would appreciate that. Will you be going with them to meet his family?”
“I hope Addison doesn’t plan on my doing that. I don’t really want to, but if she asks, I’ll consider it.”
“You two get along really well.”
“She’s bossy, is why.”
Randi laughed. “Why is it men hate to admit they love someone? It seems like it just goes against your nature.”
“I don’t have a problem saying it to you.”
“True, but a lot of men do have a problem.”
“Men are just meant to build things and break things. It’s up to women to do all the mending and fussing about. Didn’t you ever read the book, ‘Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus’?”
“I started it and meant to finish it. Don’t tell me you read it?”
“Okay I won’t, and I didn’t, but I remember when Addison did. She ranted and went on and on about that book. I bought it and told her I’d read it some day just to shut her up.”
“You’re terrible. Did you ever read it?”
“No. It was not my type of book.”
“I bet you would have read it had it been a script.”
“That I could handle. But don’t mention the book. I don’t want to hear her go on about it.”
“I won’t say a word. I want to keep you on my good side. You’re my ride home.”
“That’s right. I could leave you here.”
“I don’t think you’d do that,” Randi said, leaning over and motioning for him to lean in for a kiss. After he did so, and then stole a kiss of his own, he shook his head.
“You keep that up and you won’t even get out of my sight.”
Randi kissed him again and smiled. “Promises, promises.”
Martin’s family met them at the airport and they drove to the small family home in their 2008 Allure. Martin complained several times that they should allow him to buy them a new car but his dad was having none of it. Randi could see, with ease, where Martin got his stubborn streak.
Dinner was on the table an hour after they arrived at the home. Addison and Rafa were already there. Though Rafa looked like he would be more at home in a courtroom, he seemed to be quite at home setting the table and helping out in the kitchen.
Grace was said over the meal with the family standing and holding hands. As everyone else sat down, Addison placed the rolls, butter and salt and pepper shakers on the table. Then, after placing a delicious looking bowl of steaming brown gravy on the table, Lillian sat down.
There was a lot of chatter around the table about the wedding, the trip to Italy and a few hints that maybe sooner or later there would be another family wedding at the chapel. Randi was surprised to not hear Martin correct them or say ‘no, not for years,’ instead he shrugged it off, saying, “Could be.”
“I think I’d take that and run with it,” Addison said, looking at Randi, “unless you’re the one in the couple with the cold feet. Between Rafa and I, neither of us could wait. We wanted to get started on our life together.”
There was a small grunt of objection from Ethan but everyone ignored him. Randi looked at Martin and he smiled at her but went on eating. It seemed he was leaving the answering of this question to her.
“I don’t think you’d call it cold feet, we’ve just been dating a few weeks.”
“Well, we all know the story about Grandpa and Grandma Taylor,” Addison spoke up again. “They only knew each other for about six weeks and were married fifty-eight years.”
“We do have to understand,” Lillian began, “times were different in 1940 when they met and married. Travel wasn’t easy in the country and church gatherings were the ‘social scene’ so folks may have tended to make their minds up easier and more quickly.”
Ethan chimed in, “Don’t try to overly simplify and romanticize a once in a lifetime happening and don’t give the kids ideas. You need to know someone before you marry them.”
After her dad finished speaking, Addison wasted no time in saying what was on her mind.
“Life is short and I see no use in waiting. If you’re sure of what’s in your heart, then do it. But I do know what Dad means. You need a good heart to heart - several of them. You need to know if both of you want kids, and how many, who’s going to work and who’s not. You need to talk about politics, religion, anything you can think of that might cause a rift between you.”
“Even then, marriage is not perfect. There will be times you want to leave but you can’t. Marriage is till death do you part,” Ethan said.
This comment had almost killed the conversation until Rafa spoke up. “It will be till death do us part because if I even mention divorce, my mother will kill me.”
At this serious but humorous comment, everyone laughed and the chatter resumed around the table. Randi could see, even though Martin was now one of the ‘rich and famous’, his roots were much like her own. Knowing this made her even more secure in her thoughts that Martin Taylor was the one for her.