Challenge Accepted Ch. 07

Standing up, I look at Jenny. Her eyes are red, and her makeup is smeared. She looks disheveled and beaten. My heart breaks when I see her like this, so I go to her and take her in my arms.

"I'm sorry, Jenny...I'm so sorry. I thought you left me. I completely misunderstood that when you said you needed to leave, that you didn't mean, leave me."

"Josh." Jenny starts crying. She's holding me tight around my neck with her nose buried in my neck. "Josh...I was so worried. You wouldn't answer my calls. I was scared that I'd lost you."

"Jenny...I love you. I love you so much. You're all I've been able to think about. I know it's only been two days, but it seems like we've been apart for two years. I'm so sorry."

Jenny steps back and looks me in the eyes. Her next move throws me completely off balance. Slugging me in the chest, she says, "If you ever do that to me again, I'll freakin' kill you. Don't you ever, ever do that to me again!"

"I promise. I promise I'll never run out like that again."

She comes back into my arms and holds me tight. Wrapping my arms around her, I have her. I hold her so that she will never leave my side again.

"Ahem."

Jenny and I look over at Esther.

"Are you two going to be okay now?" she asks.

We look at each other and then back to Esther and nod.

"Good, because I don't have time for this shit! I have to get up early for class tomorrow. Don't make me do this again," she's half-serious and half teasing. It's the half-serious part that makes me worried.

"We'll be fine. Go home, Esther, and thank you!" I say.

Esther walks out the door while Jenny and I sit on the couch. We have a lot to discuss and a lot to still get through. The key to surviving this is to remember that we love each other.

"Jenny...I know this is a touchy subject, but I need to know if you're on board with the prenup."

"I don't want to talk about that right now. I just want to be here with you."

"Jenny...I need to know."

"Yes. Damn it! Yes, I'm on board."

"Good, because as part of it, I will have the house and cars transferred into your name."

"Why?"

"To protect them and you. Jenny, I love you, and I trust you. I trust you to take care of me, just as I will take care of you."

"Fine, Josh. Whatever you say. As long as we stay together, I'm fine with it."

"Thank you, Sweetheart. Thank you!"

Jenny crawls onto my lap, and we sit on the couch, holding each other. Not saying a word, just holding one another. It feels so right, so good, to have her in my arms. I've missed her so much. It's getting late, and I have to get to bed because of an early class tomorrow.

"Jenny, when is your next class?"

"I'm done for the week."

"I have one tomorrow, and I need to get some sleep."

"Josh?"

"What?"

"Can I stay here tonight?"

"Jenny, I want you here every night. I want you to live here. I want this to be ours."

Jenny lifts her head and gazes into my eyes. Her eyes are still red, and her cheeks wet. That's when we have our first kiss. It's not a sexual or romantic kiss. It's the kiss of two people sharing their love and souls with each other. A kiss that binds them together. Picking her up, I carry her to our bedroom. Our bedroom, I like that. Setting her on the bed, I undress to take a shower. She sits there watching me before standing and getting undressed as well.

We get in the shower together and wash each other up. Scrubbing the smeared makeup from her face makes her look alive again. She still hasn't smiled, but she's stopped crying. We stand under steaming water, holding each other. It's like I'm afraid to let go of her. Then, turning the shower off, we step out and dry off before getting in bed.

It's silent in the room except for the sound of the waves lapping against the shore. I focus on Jenny next to me, her warm body wrapped around me and the sounds of the ocean as I drift off to sleep.

***************

I drop Jenny off at her apartment on my way to class. She's going to pack her things and move into our house permanently--our house.

After class, I'm walking to my car when this chick walks up to me and starts cussing me out. She calls me every name in the book, even a few that I don't think I've ever heard before. So I stand there, waiting for her to finish, and when she does, I have only a few words for her, "Sure...whatever, lady...nutjob."

Shaking off that odd experience, I drive to Jenny's to see how she's doing. Before I go inside, I send a text to my dad.

Just wanted to let you know. Jenny didn't leave me. It was a misunderstanding on my part. We have resolved our differences and she is moving in with me.

Before I can open the car door, my phone rings.

"She's what?"

"We're moving in together, Dad."

"You are what?"

"Look, Dad...it's a long story. How about I come over tonight, and we talk about it."

"Sure, fine. I'll see you tonight."

Walking up to Jenny's apartment, I think about how to explain all of this to my dad. I'm going to take the opportunity to tell him that I want to marry Jenny and get some advice from him. When I knock on the door, Carole answers and lets me in. Jenny meets me in the front room, where she has some boxes stacked.

"Think we can get all of these in the car?"

Looking at what she has, I answer, "Sure. I think so."

Carrying each box down separately, I play Tetris to fit them all in. Jenny tells me that she has three more loads this size. Really? You have this much stuff? I tell her that it's not a problem, that we'll just rent a truck so we can get it all in one shot. It's late afternoon by the time we get back to the house.

"Jenny, I need to talk with my dad about some stuff. Why don't you unpack and get settled in, and I'll be back in a few hours."

"A few hours?"

"Yeah...traffic might be heavy."

"Where are you meeting him?"

"I'm going home...I mean, I'm going to my parent's house. If you need me, just call. If you need me to pick something up on the way home, just send me a text or something."

"You're leaving me here alone?"

"Sure. Why not? Are you okay?"

"Yeah...I guess so. What if I don't know where to put something?"

"Jenny, this is your home too...if you can't find a place for something, throw it out."

"What about dinner?"

"The kitchen is fully stocked. If you want to go out instead, do that." Taking a card from my wallet, I give it to her. "I'll be home soon." Leaning over, I give her a kiss and then leave.

Walking in the door of my parent's home, the place looks foreign to me. I recognize everything, nothing has moved, but this isn't home for me anymore. Dad comes down the stairs, and we go into the study together. I explain the misunderstanding to him and how I overreacted. He asks about the prenup, and I tell him that she's on board and that we'll take care of it.

"So that means...," Dad's voice trails waiting for me to finish his sentence.

"That we're going to get married. I haven't proposed yet, but we've talked about it."

"How long have you known her?"

"Hmmm...let's see...We met...I think late February."

"It's early June, and you want to marry her?"

"Yes."

"Are you nuts? Have you lost your mind? College is supposed to make you smarter...what happened to you?"

"What are you talking about? I thought you liked her? I thought she was part of the family? Wasn't that what the whole party thing was about?"

"Your mother likes her...no, she loves her. I never said anything except that she's pretty. I'm still on the fence about her being a gold-digger."

"C'mon, Dad, we've been over this already."

Dad and I discuss Jenny...at times, maybe even argue, until he comes around and decides to give us his blessing. He can see how strong my feelings are for her and that I will marry her, regardless. Dad tells me about a jeweler he and mom have been going to for years and that he's trustworthy. He tells me to go see him about getting a ring for Jenny. I take his advice about the ring and other things, for which I'm grateful. Finally, he asks when I'm going to pop the question, and I tell him that I haven't decided yet, that I still need to speak with her father. When we finish talking, we stand, and dad gives me a hug, pats me on the back, and tells me good luck.

When I get home, Jenny is still unpacking boxes and putting things away. She tells me that she had to move some of my things to make room for hers. After letting her know she can take all the space she wants, I ask if I can help. When we finish, we flop down on the couch to rest.

"So...," Jenny starts, "graduation is next week."

"Yeah...and?"

"My parents are flying out for it. They asked me to recommend a hotel for them to stay at."

"And you're thinking my....uh...our hotel?"

"I was...do you think that's a good idea? Or, should it be somewhere closer to the pavilion?"

"Well...that depends."

"On what?"

"On if you let me take care of them, including getting them a car to drive?"

"They can borrow my car. There's no reason to rent one."

"Okay...what about the room and food? Would you mind setting them up in a suite and popping for their meals...including room service?"

"Don't you think that's a little much? No reason to go overboard here."

"It's up to you, Sweetheart. You know your parents and what they'll be comfortable with. Would you rather they stay somewhere closer to us so you can spend more time with them?"

"Closer to here does sound better. Do you think that's a good idea?"

"I think it's a great idea. But...we may need to get a new car...something bigger that we can all fit in."

"A new car? Don't we have enough cars, Josh?"

"Do you want to try and fit your parents in the back of either of our cars?"

"No...not really."

"Okay, then. We can go to an auto mall tomorrow and look around. We'll find something you like and feel comfortable driving."

"Ech...I guess."

"Why don't you speak with your parents tomorrow to find out how long they want to stay, and then we'll get them a reservation around here somewhere. I think they'd appreciate being closer than an hour or two away from you."

"You're right. Okay."

Jenny and I are tired from the long day, so we take our showers and go to bed. It feels like we're playing house. I need to find out what kind of ring she wants...another discussion for tomorrow. That's when I remember that chick from this afternoon and decide to tell Jenny about her.

She's still awake and nestled into me, so I say, "The weirdest thing happened to me today."

"Yeah? What was it?"

"Some girl walked up to me as I was leaving class and cussed me out. For a solid ten minutes, she told me what a scumbag, shithead, asshole...and a lot of other things I was. I've never even seen her before. The only thing I can think of is that she had the wrong guy."

"What did she look like?"

"I don't know...I didn't pay that much attention...I guess she was maybe an inch or so shorter than you, dark brown hair, pretty...not as pretty as you...and had a mouth like a sailor."

"I think I know who she is and why she cussed you out. I don't want to talk about her tonight, though...can we discuss it tomorrow?"

"Really? Yeah...I guess so."

"Thanks, Babe. I love you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Sweetheart."

Rolling onto my side to face Jenny, I kiss her forehead. She looks somber. I haven't seen her smile since we got back together...well, not really back together, but since we ironed out the prenup thing. I hope she's happy here. I want to make sure she's happy...no matter what...I want her to be happy. Putting my arm around her waist, we intertwine our legs. The last thing I remember as I fall asleep is wondering what I can do to make Jenny happy.