Fighting Terrorism - Finding Love: Sequel

"Your grandmother gave this to me when you were still a little boy. It was her mother's ring and your grandmother wanted you to have it, if and when, you decided to marry."

"Oh. The von Sturms are taking us for more sightseeing tomorrow morning so we will meet you later in the afternoon. You two should be alone when you ask her to marry you." Mom said to me.

The next day, when I arrived at Erika's hospital room, I was surprised to find her out of bed and dressed. She told me the doctor was so impressed with her recovery he was discharging that morning.

"Erika, I have something I want to ask . . ."

Before I could pop the question a nurse's aide entered the room pushing an empty wheelchair.

"Frau von Sturm. I'm here to give you a ride downstairs to collect your discharge paperwork. Are you here to escort her home?" She asked me with a smile on her face.

"Ahh, yes I am. I have a car waiting outside."

As Erika was completing the paperwork for her discharge from the hospital I quickly used my cell phone to summon my driver to pick us up.

Once we were seated in the back of the Mercedes Erika asked if we could just ride around for while. So I asked Hans, my driver for the past several days, if he knew someplace, anyplace away from the traffic and congestion of the city.

He assured me he did and we left the hospital behind. We soon found ourselves being driven through the Grunewald Forest. Seeing a spot overlooking a crystal clear lake I asked him to stop and park.

He gave me a look that said he understood I needed some privacy so he left us and went for a walk.

I turned to Erika and tried to remember the words I had rehearsed all last night. I was so nervous that I promptly forgot everything I wanted to say.

"Erika, over the past several weeks I haves fallen hopelessly and totally in love with you. I cannot imagine living my life without you in it."

"Will you marry me?" I asked producing my great-grandmother's ring.

It seemed like hours, as I held my breath, waiting for her answer. In reality it was only a few short seconds before she replied.

"Oh, mein Gott, YES! Yes, of course, I'll marry you."

Slipping the ring on her finger I was amazed it fit perfectly.

We spent the next half an hour crying, laughing and kissing one another.

Hans soon reappeared and we continued our drive through the forest around the lake. I truly don't remember much of what passed by as I was too busy looking at my beautiful fiancée.

Late that afternoon my cell phone rang. It was my father. "We are at the hospital and there is no sign of either of you. Where are you?"

"Oh my gosh, dad. Erika was discharged this morning and I forgot entirely to call and tell you. I'm so sorry. We have been riding around ever since. Can we meet you back at the hotel in about an hour?"

Arriving back we were met by my father and Peter in the lobby. It was decided we would go to a small, intimate restaurant just down the street for supper. Erika couldn't wait to show her father her ring and tell him the happy news.

A few minutes later my mother and Marie joined us. Erika showed her mother the ring and repeated her story about my marriage proposal. The news was met with hugs, tears and kissing amongst the ladies. The three of us men made do with handshakes and a hug.

Then we walked to the restaurant and the real celebration began. I cannot believe how much champagne was consumed that night.

When I pointed this out to my mother. She replied, with Marie echoing.

"One can never have enough champagne to celebrate an engagement."

We did manage to get safely back to the hotel several hours later. Over breakfast the following morning the two moms and Erika started planning for the wedding.

My dad and Peter said it would be in my best interest to not become involved and led me away. They laughingly told me my role in all of this will be limited to showing up at the ceremony and saying 'I do'.

Three months later the big day rolled around. In Germany there is only one official wedding ceremony, a civil one. It was conducted at the town hall or Rathaus of the small village where Erika's family lived. Following the ceremony we went to a small restaurant for a wedding lunch and, you guessed it, more champagne.

The next day we said our wedding vows in the church that Erika and her family had attended for many years. Some of my family and a few friends managed to make the trip over but the majority of the guests were family, friends and colleagues of Erika and her father.

Standing at the altar I watched as Erika made her way down the aisle holding on to her father's arm. I was struck by just how beautiful she was in her wedding gown. Her dad placed her hand in mine and we both turned toward the pastor.

The ceremony was conducted in German but I had been well briefed as to when it was my turn to say 'I do'. We kissed and turning toward the assembled guests were introduced as husband and wife. As we walked back down the aisle I turned toward Erika. She was bawling her eyes out.

"What's wrong sweetheart?"

"Nothing, mein schatz, nothing. I'm just so very happy."

The wedding reception was held in the ballroom of a local hotel. Dinner, dancing and, yes, there was champagne. Lots and lots of it.

We left the next afternoon on our honeymoon. I had managed to keep it a secret from Erika. Boy, was that difficult, but I managed. We flew to Hawaii for a ten day cruise through the islands and we loved every minute of it. (no pun intended)

As a side note one of my guests was the attorney who patented my eco-drive power system for laptops some years earlier. He had been in negotiations with, not only the leading computer companies, but also with the major manufacturers of batteries such as Duracell and Energizer to name just two. He finally was able to reach agreements with all of them.

As a wedding present he handed me a number contracts for my signature. After some hard negotiations he had forced all of them to accept his conditions.

I was not selling away my invention to them. I was just granting them a license to manufacture my device and that license was subjected to renewal every five years.

"Rick," he told me. "You'll never have to worry about money ever again."

I'm not going to tell you how much money these contracts provided to me. However, I will say that his percentage earned him over five million dollars.

Upon returning home I set about fulfilling my contract to build the additional laptops with the same capabilities as my original one for 'The Agency'. When I finished my commitment I wanted to resign but was talked out of it.

They offered me the opportunity to work on a consultant basis, with the solemn promise of ABSOLUTELY NO FIELD WORK. Erika insisted that clause be inserted into the new contract with them. I was in total agreement with her.

Erika resigned from her position with the Counter-Terrorism Unit. She told me that all she wanted to do now was to be my wife and become a mother. We worked really hard to fulfill that latter desire.

With our new found wealth we set about building two homes. One in Germany on a hillside overlooking the Rhine River and the other in Florida on the Saint Johns River. My dad had retired, sold his business and he and mom moved to Florida. Now we would be able to spend time with them as well as Erika's parents in Germany.

Epilogue - Some years later at the home of Erika's parents

"Come my darlings it's time for bed."

"Oh, Oma Marie can't we stay up just a little longer. Opa Peter is letting us play with our dolls on his lap. You don't mind, do you Opa?" My two four year old granddaughters implored.

"Nein mein schatz." (no, my sweetheart) "Your mommy would be very upset with me if you stayed up any longer. Give Opa a kiss good night and run along upstairs, brush your teeth and put on your nightgowns. I'll be up in a few minutes to tuck you both in bed and read you a story."

Both girls scampered upstairs after kissing my husband good night. He got up from his chair and hugged me saying. "We are so very, very fortunate to have them. Aren't we?"

All I could do was nod my head yes before saying, "I better go check on them."

When I got to their bedroom they were both already in bed.

"We brushed our teeth." Elke said.

Heidi chimed in saying. "And I made sure she even used toothpaste."

"Very good girls. Now what story would you like to hear tonight?"

"Sleeping Beauty", they both answered.

"Oh. That's my all time favorite story."

I retrieved the book of fairy tales from the bookcase and began reading. When I reached the part about the handsome prince kissing the sleeping beauty and waking her from her deep, deep slumber Heidi asked me.

"Oma do you think that is really true? Could a handsome prince really do that?"

"Oh my, yes! I know it's true! I saw it happen once a long time ago."

"Now go to sleep. Mommy and daddy will be home when you wake up tomorrow morning."

Turning out the light I left the room and thought to myself that one day soon Erika and I would tell them the real story of 'Sleeping Beauty'.

My daughter and her handsome prince returned home late that night from an evening out together. When I told her of my desire for the two us to tell her daughters the real story of 'Sleeping Beauty' she just giggled and said, "Why Not? Just as long as my Prince Charming is there to demonstrate the kiss."

All I could do was shrug my shoulders and say, "let's go practice."