New Neighbor Pt. 07

Laura's box was slightly larger and had another box in it. It had a note saying, "Open yours after everyone has opened theirs."

People noticed Laura hadn't opened her box. She finally opened the inner box and quietly stared at her card. Laura's box had a bound book in it and a smaller box. She pulled out the book and looked at it with little expression and stared at the card.

The note said, "If you don't want to marry me, don't open the small box. If you do want to marry me, I'm going to run over there and make a fool of myself and embarrass you in front of our friends."

She looked at John and said, "When and Where?"

As soon as Laura said that Ashley figured it out and crawled over everybody to get to Laura for pictures. The camera was set to shoot video and Ashley started shooting.

John ran over and took out the small box. He knelt on one knee, opened the box, and said, "Laura Brenda Swanson will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me."

"Yes John, it would make me the happiest woman in the world to marry you."

He put the ring on her finger and kissed her.

Laura asked, "Do you remember at the cabin when we wished on the shooting stars?"

"Of course."

"This was my wish," she said.

"Mine too."

John got one more kiss before he lost track of Laura as all the girls swarmed over her to look at her engagement ring. It was quite a ring. The guys took John aside and congratulated him.

Ashley had to stand on the table to get pictures of the girls looking at the ring.

John mouthed, "Thank you," to her.

Once the commotion had settled down, she went over to him and hugged him. "Congratulations and thank you for the camera and...the other thing. I learned my lesson."

After a half hour or so Laura abruptly said, "Well, it was nice of you to come to our little brunch. We were up late last night, and I think we need a nap."

Everyone took the hint and left.

Laura kissed John and said, "Meet me upstairs at my house in five minutes."

When John arrived, Laura was on the bed in a stunning nightgown.

When she saw him, she said, "I want to show you, not tell you, how much I want to marry you."

Epilogue

They spent the afternoon in bed with each other making joyful love and talking about their plans for the near and distant future. They were silly and playful, and they talked, laughed, giggled, snuggled, then made love again.

The wedding was far from traditional. Laura bought a beautiful white wedding gown to start her new life. John bought a tuxedo that fit him perfectly. They made a handsome couple.

There were no bachelor or bachelorette parties. Both John and Laura thought parties with only one sex were boring. There was a pre-wedding party at Laura's two nights before the wedding with everyone there.

They didn't even consider the tradition of the groom not seeing the bride before the wedding. They woke up together and drove to the wedding together. They'd slept in the same bed for the last seven months and they weren't going to stop.

The wedding was at Sergio's on the afternoon of January third. Laura's mother, Karen, performed the ceremony. There was not a best man or maid of honor. The whole group was equally involved. The girls did a quick and lovely job of decorating Sergio's.

There were twenty people there with the girl's group and all the husbands and dates. Karen had flown in. Dani was there. Bo was there, dressed in a tux. His tux did not stay on for long.

There was a string quartet and Laura carried a bouquet down the aisle.

The official reception was there. They planned to buy a wedding cake, unintentionally insulting Mama. She baked one herself and it was beautiful and delicious. Sergio, Mama, and the boys made sure no one left hungry, and the champagne flowed. Mama kept asking Ken when he was going to marry Vicky. Mama already acted like she was part of the family.

Ashley took formal wedding pictures with her new camera. The bride and groom exchanging rings, the bride and groom cutting the cake, the bride with her mother, a group picture of the wedding party, and pictures of Sergio and his family. She also took informal pictures of everyone.

Laura threw the bouquet. Vicky caught it and Mama clapped.

As John and Laura left, everyone pelted them with birdseed.

There was an afterparty at Laura's. Ashley took informal and formal pictures at this party too but there were no clothes on. For the pictures of the bride and groom, Laura wore a veil and a garter. John wore his bow tie. John removed her garter and shot it to Ken like a rubber band.

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Around 8:00 John handed the keys to both houses to Ken. Ken was taking Bo home while they were gone. John and Laura snuck off on their honeymoon. Ken had arranged for a week at the cabin, but it was a long drive. John booked a hotel suite for the night. They couldn't go much longer without married sex.

As they drove in the dark, it was hard to believe how their lives had changed. A year ago, they couldn't imagine being married. Now it was hard to imagine not being married - to each other.

Author's postscript: This is the last chapter of this series. I hope you liked this story and this series. It was fun to write. I apologize that it took me so long to submit the final three chapters. As usual, please scroll down a few lines and vote and/or comment. You don't need to be a member to vote/comment.