Action, Reaction and Consequences Ch. 02

It was an informal discussion they were having over dinner but Matt asked a question that Tan (Matt's nickname for her) had been waiting for and she had her well-practiced answer ready.

"Do you want kids Tan?"

"I want to be the best of the best Catch, it won't take long, maybe five years of hard work then I'll rest on my laurels." Tanya had called Matt a Catch on the morning where they had gone to town after the first night and she kept it as her pet name for Matt.

"When you say rest on your laurels can you be more specific?" Matt felt it was honest question he was asking.

"Then I want our babies -- you and me together". She looked at Matt to see his response.

"But what if five years isn't enough to climb to the top of the pile Tan, what if you aren't there after ten years, fifteen years?" Tan noticed the tone of his voice had hardened slightly.

"I have faith in myself to do it, I hope you do to. If I make a promise to you that, if it doesn't happen before it's too late for me, I'll abandon my dream and follow this one we are discussing right now."

The chat with Georgina had made her think about the future and knew that some of life's signpost needed to be set out in their relationship if they wanted to ensure it would be a successful one.

"Matt, if I needed to move to another part of the country to make this happen would you willing come with me?" He stood up, walked to her and kissed her.

"I'll follow you into hell to help you reach your goal as long as we don't leave some future plans until it becomes too late."

All the cards were now on the table; Tanya was happy with the thought of where they were going. Matt was happy but a slight nag pulled his brain, the 'what if it doesn't happen' regarding Tanya's career path. He let it slip it didn't matter today, heck there was no talk of even being married.

Tanya messaged Matt on the 29th February whilst he was at work.

'Taking you out to dinner tonight 8pm, 'our place', be smart but no Tuxedo!'

He knew that 'our place' wasn't her apartment but the Italian where they first had a meal, it had become the place they went to if they had a special occasion irrespective how insignificant it was.

Matt went home and changed but there was no sign of Tanya at the apartment nor did she turn up before he left for the restaurant. When he reached the restaurant he stood and looked at the woman that was his stunning girlfriend. He now realised she must have spent a large part of the day getting ready with a new hairdo, professionally applied make-up and wearing a figure hugging dress he had never seen before that shimmered gold and clung to her like a second skin. He noticed that most the patrons and staff were eyeing up this beautiful woman too.

"Shit Tan...you look amazing...I'm worried I've forgotten some sort of special occasion here....I haven't have I?"

"No Catch you can breathe a sigh of relief you haven't missed something, well not directly anyway." She smirked at him and she noted the clueless look that let her know he didn't understand the significance of the date.

"So what is it Tan, don't tell me you've got a promotion?"

"Not, quite Catch but a distinct possibility. Let's eat and I'll tell you all about it after dinner."

They ate dinner but Tanya wouldn't spill the beans as to what she had to stay. Matt could see something in her face but wasn't sure if it was excitement, trepidation or both. After the main course she excused herself and went to the lady's toilet and on return she stopped, standing next to Matt.

He looked at her as she knelt down on one knee next to him after hiking her dress up exposing a silk holdup top in doing so. In her hand she had a small, square box which she opened and took out what appeared to be a silver ring but in fact were two rings cut to give the impression that they were one joined together.

"Catch, will you promote me by marrying me to be your wife?"

Matt leapt from the chair and scooped Tanya from the ground. She wrapped her legs around his torso as he kissed her before saying yes I will. The restaurant erupted in cheers and whistling as she placed one of the rings on Matt's finger. He took the other and placed it on Tanya's finger.

"Oh shit, of course it's February 29th, Leap Year a woman can propose to a man!!" It now dawned on Matt why Tanya classed it a 'special day'.

Six weeks later they were wed in a small ceremony in the local registry office. It was small due to the lack of family on both sides and were mainly made up of work colleagues who were ultimately their pool of friends. Tanya was given away by her boss Graham who was the nearest she had ever felt to a man as a father figure. The wedding rings were gold versions of the engagement rings but reversed so each wore an identical set that looked like two single rings.

They jetted off on honeymoon to Crete. They visited the family where she had stayed to learn to cook and they ended up being their guest for two days instead of their hotel prompting a large meal to be arranged with thirty plus guest.

Towards the end of the party Athena, the woman who's house she had stayed in and taught her to cook pulled Tanya aside. "When you were here before you had an aura of sadness that hung over you, I could see your life was incomplete. Whatever happens in life Tania never let this man go. Men like him are a rare commodity make him happy and you will be eternally happy yourself." They hugged before returning into the party fold.

Thet said their goodbyes promising to return before flying home.

On their way to the next destination they travelled to the Toplou Monastery. Whilst Matt wasn't a religious person he understood how Tanya was taken by the tranquility of the place and the commitment of the monks to their calling. They sat for a wine testing session and came to the point on deciding which wine and how many bottles they wanted to buy.

"Ok Tan which ones and how many" asked Matt -- wine was more Tanya's forte.

She pondered for a few moments before replying; "Let's take nine mixed bottles."

"Nine? Bit of an odd number Tan?"

Tanya reached across and took his hand; "Let's say one for each anniversary which will take us up to five then one for the birth of child which will be the other four bottles."

Tanya smiled and looked into his eyes; "I've thought about things Catch, five years max to reach my personal goal then beyond that my...actually our....goals will change irrespective of how far I personally progress."

Matt understood that she had just made a substantial shift in commitment to them both and he felt a sense of relief. Since the discussion back on New Year's day he harboured a slight fear that if she failed to grasp her goals in her work life within the anticipated time frame how far would she delay starting a family with Matt. What if the work rewards never came?

He leant over and kissed her, he didn't speak, but they both accepted that the single point that could be a stumbling block in the future appeared to now be ironed out. The kiss was broken by a small cough for the monk who had been the host for the wine tasting.

"Oops, sorry" giggled Tanya. She selected the nine bottles they wanted which were packed for them. They thanked the monk for his time and hospitality then left for the next part of their journey.

The travelled to the south east side of the Island to a small place called Kato Zakros which sat at the end of a road which had twisted and turned across the hilly region providing breath-taking views as the descended into Kato Zakros. The town is small - no more than a handful of small family run restaurants and a smattering of rooms or apartments to rent. At the far end there were 4 small apartments sitting above a beachside restaurant which could be reached via a short path. They had a small room but well furnished. Best of all it had a balcony which looked out over the bay but went around the side of the building so they could look up into the Gorge of the Dead which sat behind the small village.

They had a romantic meal on the beach sharing a bottle of wine. Being the very early season there were very few visitors and it felt as if they had the place to themselves. After dinner they walked along the shoreline together stopping to kiss in this tranquil land far from home. With little light pollution they were under an umbrella of stars with the only sounds the gentle lapping of waves and the shrill sound of Cicada that chirp away in the scant vegetation.

They came to a small outcrop that hid them from view of the restaurants not that they were that near. They stopped and Tanya wrapped her arms around Matt's neck, drawing him in for a kiss.

"Make love to me Catch, here and now."

Removing their clothes, they lay down on the beach shingle and kissed before Matt held himself above her. Tanya reached down and grasped his cock guiding it into the dampness nestled between her legs. Her slick lips let him slide up into the folds until he was completely inside her warm, wet, velvety tunnel slick with her arousal. He moved slowly in and out of her body as the cosmos looked down on them with the moon softly illuminated their act of unbridled love. Tanya looked up into the sky and promised in her mind she would never forsake her man, her would be hers until the end of days. With that she started to kiss him with passionate fervour until they both reached their ultimate peak. Afterwards they lay cuddling on the beach looking up at the stars.

"You'll always be mine Catch as I'll always be yours" said Tan as she nuzzled into him content with life and the direction it was going in. They were both in it for the long term and the road ahead was mapped out for them both. There are always ups and downs in a relationship thought Tanya and we will overcome them together.

Within a few years that test would come.