Love and Trust

When we walked into the house Regina went into the kitchen and I left to find her grandmother, which was quite a challenge. Luck was with me because that Sunday she was sitting by herself on the couch just watching what was going on. I went and sat down next to her. "Hi, Grandma, how are you feeling today?" She smiled and said with the exception of a little cough, she felt like a seventy year old. "I've got something to show you," I said, looking around for Regina and her mother. "It's a little something I bought for your granddaughter. I just want to know if you think she'll like it?" I pulled out the ring from my top pocket and showed it to her.

She didn't cry, scream for joy, or much of anything. She just looked at it, smiled, nodded her head, and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

With her wrinkled hand on my arm she said, "She'd love it if it was a cigar ring given to her by you."

"So, I have your blessings then?" She didn't respond only again nodded her approval. I gave her a kiss on her forehead.

My palms were sweaty, my heart was racing, and I had no appetite, but managed to force down a few bites. Regina was sitting on a bridge chair, with a plate of food on her lap next to one of her aunts and her mother. They were all talking a mile a minute. I took my last swallow of tea, relaxed my shoulders, took a deep cleansing breath, and move forward. I knew if I hesitated I'd chicken out, I had already chickened out once before.

Regina saw me walking towards her and was smiling at me. I loved that woman more than I had loved anyone ever. She was about to say something to me when I dropped down on one knee in front of her. I had this grandiose speech planned about how much I loved her and Angela, which would have probably gone on and on way too long. What happened is, I got a little tongue-tied and cut it short.

"Regina Diaz, I love you, and you would make me the happiest man on earth if you would consent to be my wife?"

She didn't expect it, especially not right there in her parents' living room, no one did except her father and grandmother. I knelt there holding that damn ring, waiting for what must have been an hour as she teared up, put her arms around my neck, and kissed me. Everyone went nuts.

I'd already done the proper thing by asking for Regina's hand from her father a week ago. When I walked through the door today, I handed him my car keys and I told him there was a cooler in the trunk of my car with a few bottles of champagne we might need a little later. He took the keys, shook my hand, and told me good luck because I would need it afterwards. He was right.

Pandemonium is what broke out as every woman in the place wanted to see the ring that was already on her finger. And Regina? She wasn't letting go of me, no how. I was at arms length and that's all the further she'd let me go for the next hour. The women were now all talking at once and loud. When Angela walked into the room to see what the ruckus was all about, Regina grabbed her and told her that she was going to have a new daddy. I think it went in one ear and out the other, but I did get a hug out of the deal. Looking over at her grandma I could see her smile, it was a big day for her, too.

Her father and brothers brought in the champagne. Glasses were filled, toasts were made, and I was officially welcomed into the family.

While the women started planning the wedding, her dad, brothers, and the rest of the men took me out back where the hard stuff was brought out. I only lasted three rounds until I thought I was going to hock up a lung—they laughed, telling me I'd get used to it. That was the longest Sunday brunch I can remember ever having attended.

By seven o'clock it was winding down. Everyone congratulated us one more time as they walked out the front door. I was going to be leaving soon, therefore I was sipping on a glass of cold ice tea. I had already drunk too much earlier and wasn't taking any chances of getting a D.U.I. today of all days. I watched Regina help her mother and grandmother with that smile still plastered on her glowing face.

When she came over to me, the kiss she gave me about pushed me over the edge. I guess it was okay to show me a little affection in front of her family now that we were engaged.

"Why did you do it in front of my whole family?" She asked me when we were alone, giving me another kiss for good measure.

"I thought about it for a long time. Considering how close your family is I decided to include them in what I hoped would be one of the happiest moments of our life together. It would be like, in a way, bringing our two families together."

"Well, it worked and you sure as hell impressed my parents not to mention making a few boyfriends in the room a little uncomfortable. You never cease to amaze me."

"I do my best."

"By the way, what would you have done if I had said no?"

"Well, I know this hot older lady, and if she is half as good as her stories, she probably would have killed me on our honeymoon."

"Asshole. I can guarantee you that you aren't going to be able to walk by the time I'm finished with you."

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to be saying to you?"

We laughed. The sexual tension was hanging heavy in the air right now. With Regina in my arms, I wanted to take her home with me and spend the next two hours showing her what we'd be doing nonstop on our honeymoon. It seemed her mother was not ready to let me leave just yet. She wanted to do a little wedding planning first. So, for the next hour me, Regina, her mother, grandmother, and two of her aunts sat around talking wedding. Not exactly how I had planned to culminate my proposal day.

Monday and Tuesday nights were spent made the rounds telling everyone the good news. We first met with my dad who wasn't surprised at all, and then with Jeremy and Cindy who both said it was about time. I couldn't tell if my mom was surprised or not. Though she seemed genuinely happy for us, I detected something under the surface. No matter, I really didn't care if she liked it or not, it was a done deal, in our eyes, anyway.

When Regina asked when I wanted to get married, I told her the sooner the better because I had to be out of my place by the end of April.

"We're going to have to find a new apartment and be ready to move the last week of April, so we don't have a lot of time." Location, location, location, became the main issue. She still wanted to be close to her parents, and I wanted to be close to my work. We had a bit of a conflict. I finally located her job, my job, and her parents' house on a map and drew a circle around all three. "This is where we need to look!"

A friend of her second cousin's neighbor had a two-bedroom place for rent. I guess marrying into a big extended family has its advantages. The place was spacious, clean, and I could live with the shitty view of the parking lot for what he was charging us. We signed a year's lease and were told we could move in anytime after the twenty-seventh of April.

After our first wedding get together on the day of my proposal, I tried to stay as far away from the wedding plans as possible. I would be there, tux or no tux. As long as there was something for me to eat and drink I was happy. It was, after all, the bride's moment to shine.

I thought they were pulling my leg when they told me that they'd set the date for first Saturday in May. I figured the earliest it could be was at least June—guess I underestimated the Diaz women.

Within two weeks, the hall had been secured and the food taken care of. The invitations had been ordered and were already being printed. I asked my mother if she wanted to have any input. Besides her being there she was letting my future bride's family run with it.

"Not until our wedding night?" I said a little too loudly when Regina told me her plan the following Saturday night.

"Think about how excited you're going to be by then," she explained, now a little more hesitantly.

"Honey, by then all the priest will have to say is, 'I now pronounce you husband and wife,' and when you kiss me I'll probably shoot my wad in my pants." I wasn't kidding.

"Well, I didn't say we couldn't do anything, did I?" She snuggled up close to me. "There are other things we can do besides that, isn't there?" I could think of at least ten off the top of my head at that moment. Later that evening we quietly tried out at least three. I just might survive until the wedding.

I could go on forever about our wedding, so let me just sum it up this way: When I saw my bride walking down the aisle with her father and mother, right then and there I realized she was by far the most beautiful creature on this blessed earth. I may be a little biased but mere words can't come close to describing how utterly lovely she looked, and she was soon to be all mine.

Secondly, there was enough food and drink to feed a small third world country. Of the one hundred and twenty-eight guests, my side amounted to all of eleven people. On her side—the other one hundred and seventeen—most brought something to eat or drink. I'd never been to a potluck wedding—I knew it wasn't going to be my last.

Finally, my mother and Regina had planned our honeymoon without telling me or giving me any input. "Trust me," was all they would say. It was a nice wedding gift sentiment, only I would have liked a little say in the matter. And the worst part of it was that she wouldn't tell me much more than I'd love it just like I loved her family. Was I scared? Well, maybe a little.

"Babes, how can I pack if I don't know where we're going?"

"Just pack for very warm and humid conditions." That wasn't helping. "But, you will need your good suit and your dancing shoes."

"Regina, I have a much better idea, why don't you and my mom pack for me, this way I'll be sure to have the right clothing." I said it in a sarcastic tone of voice, she must have missed that part of it because the day before our wedding, two of the biggest suitcases I owned had a tag with my name on it. I was screwed.

It was almost midnight and the wedding was still going strong. As much fun as I was having by now I had other ideas on my mind. My blue balls were going to get a little relief tonight.

I snuck up behind my bride, kissed her on the neck, and told her that she'd made me the happiest man on earth. She looked at her watch, yelled for her mother, and told me it was time to get changed.

"Changed for what?"

"Our honeymoon, silly!"

An hour later the four of us were packed into her dad's SUV with enough luggage for a trip around the world. With her mother and father in the front seat, Regina and I cuddled up as close as two people could get in the back seat. When we pulled into the airport forty-five minutes later I'd had just about enough. When we stopped at the curb by the South West terminal gate, I decided it was time for answers.

I stopped dead in my tracks put up my hand to halt the whirlwind happening around me. "Okay wait! I'm not taking another step until you tell me where we're going." The three of them looked at one another. Regina finally answered my question.

"Puerto Rico to start, and we've got just over an hour and a half before our plane departs." Well, at least I knew we were headed south.

In our seats—first class no less—just before we finally lifted off, Regina handed me our itinerary for the next seven days. We were going on a seven-day southern Caribbean cruise starting in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Her extended family met us at the airport where we were whisked away to someone's house just outside of town. English was spoken occasionally; Spanish being the main language of the moment. Introductions were made and we were shown a room where we could get cleaned up and some rest.

"Get some sleep or whatever else the two of you want to do. The rest of the family will be here about eleven thirty in the morning for the party." Her cousin winked at us and shut the door.

I turned to Regina with a big question mark on my face. "Rest of the Family? Party?'

"My family down here wants to throw us a wedding party."

"Family? Just how big is your family?"

Call me a wimp, but my body let me down. I had the hottest woman on the planet lying naked next to me on my wedding night and I fell asleep. In my defense, it was six o'clock Sunday morning, and I'd been up for the last twenty-four hours getting married and partying like there was no tomorrow. I was dead on my feet.

I woke up with a thick pair of lips around me. I was a little disoriented for a couple of seconds before I realized I wasn't in Kansas any longer, and I loved what my new bride was doing. A little mutual oral pleasuring culminated with a quiet quickie, and we were in the shower laughing and trying not to damage anything.

There must have been fifty people at the party. First and second cousins, old friends, new friends, everyone was there. Again, more food and alcohol appeared on tables set up all around the living room. More than enough it seemed, to feed the whole island. After partying for another three hours, I started silently praying we'd make it to the ship on time and sober. Everyone wanted to meet the new husband and since Regina had been gone for ten years there was a lot of catching up to do. At five o'clock I told her it was time. We loaded everything into the car and headed for the port. I was looking forward to seven days alone with my new bride.

The cruise was nonstop activity, that's if you wanted to do anything. There were six stops: Saint Thomas and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Kits, and Saint Maarten. We would end back up in San Juan on Sunday morning.

We never made it to dinner the first night at sea. We ate in our cabin on the balcony and reconnected with each other after the previous two days of non-stop action. Regina said she packed a special treat for me for each night of our cruise. If the rest were half as hot as Sunday's we'd probably never make it to the dining room for any meals.

By Tuesday we needed a break. One of the legs on our bed had broken off. The steward assured us it would be replaced by night. He gave me a wink, telling us they'd bring one that was a little sturdier.

We took leisurely walks in the Virgin Islands and Barbados, purchasing a few souvenirs, though most of the stuff was geared towards the tourists and didn't interest either one of us.

While we dressed for dinner, I thought about skipping it again.

"Hon, you want to skip dinner and order in again tonight?"

"Not on your life, I want to see something of this ship before we dock back in San Juan on Sunday morning. Besides, I really want to check out the food in the dining room." I relented after a promise of something special when we got back to our room later that night.

Our whole table watched as we took our seats and ordered a bottle of wine.

"We weren't sure if we'd see the two of you at all this trip," said one of the middle-aged women. "I understand you are on your honeymoon." Regina smiled and said they were replacing the bed in our room because somehow we'd worn it out. I think I turned red when the whole table broke out laughing.

The food was great, the company entertaining. We were having the time of our lives.

"You've got to make it to the adult comedy show at midnight," one of the woman told Regina. "It's only for adults if you know what I mean."

"I'm not sure I can hold off my husband that long, but we'll try and make it. Save us a seat for tonight, will you?"

We walked the ship after dinner, played a bit in the casino, and finally hit the dance clubs. I did better than I'd ever done before—I made it a whole hour before sitting down. As I rested, Regina kept moving to the music standing next to our table. When a guy came up and asked her to dance she looked over at me. It didn't take her long to make up her mind. She smiled at her suitor then politely refused his offer showing him her wedding ring.

"You could have danced one dance with him," I whispered to her.

"Been there, done that, and never again—especially on our honeymoon." I got my ass off the chair and went back out onto that dance floor.

The comedy club was packed, but we did finally find our dinner companions. Most were feeling no pain, since no one was driving, most likely they figured they might as well enjoy themselves.

The comic was so funny I almost peed in my pants, I laughed so hard. When he started picking on people in the audience I slid a little deeper into my chair.

"Where is that newlywed couple that broke the bed in their cabin and had to have it replaced?" Our dinner group pointed to us. "Looking at how hot your wife is it's no wonder. If you get too tired, I'm in room 1041, that's one zero four one." Everyone was laughing, but it was the good-natured kind.

Regina, not one to let anyone get the best of her, shot right back at him. "Well, if you've got more than my husband's twelve inches let me see it, and then maybe we might be able to work something out,"

"How about if I give you six inches twice?" was his quick comeback.

"To be half as good as my husband, you'd have to be able to do it at least four times." The audience again erupted into gales of laughter. "But if you don't mind, we have another bed to try out," she said, taking my hand. "I've also been told no one has ever gone through more than two beds on a seven days cruise, but they've never met my husband." We walked out to a standing ovation.

"Babes, unless you're confusing me with someone else, I don't have twelve inches."

"I know and you know, but the rest of the women on the ship don't." She was smiling now. I got more than a once over by lots of women the rest of the cruise. I'm sorry to say, we didn't break the broken bed record. We gave it our all, it didn't happen.

Sunday morning saw us back in San Juan and by ten thirty we were on the big bird going home. It was an exhausting and memorable seven days, to say the least. Through those seven new outfits, we could relive our honeymoon night after night.

We slept most of the way back because we knew our new reality would hit the moment we got off the plane, and it was waiting for us.

"Mommy, Mommy," Angela screamed, running up to Regina. I got a hug and kiss but ninety-nine percent of her joy was directed at her mother.

All the way back to our apartment, we tried to summarize seven days into forty-five minutes. With work starting tomorrow we all went to bed early, knowing we would be waking up to our new normal.

Life was better than good. I was usually met at the door with kisses and hugs from both my women. I made it a point to bring home something special for Angela every Friday evening. It didn't have to be much, she just knew something was going to be there. Once I almost forgot. I got to our house when I realized I'd forgotten her little gift. I quickly hit the corner drug store to pickup a small stuffed animal.

"You know you're spoiling her, you're never going to be able to keep it up." She was right. So from that Friday forth I gave her a dollar for her piggy bank. Now she would meet me at the door holding her bank. After a big kiss and hug a dollar was deposited into her pink piggy bank. The only thing I did was mix it up. Sometimes change and sometimes paper money, but it was always there.

It was the week before my out of town inspection. Regina seemed a little off and by that I mean the honeymoon feelings seemed to be waning. She was still waiting for me, but something was missing. Though we still made love most nights, if I didn't know better I'd swear something was on her mind.

I had to be out of town for almost four days. I called every night and she said she missed me, but that damn undertone was there. On the plane ride back I slept as much as possible because I knew I most likely wouldn't get any sleep my first night back. It was the first time we'd been apart since we got married three months ago.