* * *
I woke up and found the spot beside me empty. I found this unusual. Normally when I woke up, Jonathon was lying beside me. I put on my favorite pair of worn jeans and a shirt. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and started down the steps. As I was heading down the main steps my nose picked up the scent of food. It wasn’t unusual for Jonathon to make me breakfast and even Danny and Mason still ate human food, but this smell was different. I looked at the clock. I had slept in and it was nearly eleven o’ clock. I breathed in more of the delicious scent. Jonathon appeared at the bottom of the steps.
“What is that I smell?” I asked.
“A lot of hard work,” he replied, taking my hand. Instead of leading me into the kitchen he took me to the dining room.
“Oh my,” I looked at the spread before me, fighting tears of happiness.
There was turkey, rolls, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, soup, pies, any food you could think of was there.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” Amelia pulled me into a hug.
“Thanks guys,” I gasped in disbelief. “I had completely forgotten.”
“We figured,” she smiled. “We wanted to do something special for you. We know you’ve had a hard time and we want you to be able to hold onto your American life.”
“Thanks, I really appreciate this. You guys didn’t have to do this.”
“We’re your family,” said Patrick. “We want you to know that.”
Jonathon pulled out a chair for me and I took it. I smiled and told him thanks. He took the seat next to me and the others followed suit. I could tell Danny and Mason were itching to get their hands into everything.
“This all looks so delicious,” I gasped.
Amelia looked at Jonathon, “Jonathon did most of it. This was his idea. He thought you needed cheering up.”
I smiled and realized that it was a real smile. Not the fake one I had been giving for a long time. I looked over at him. “You are more wonderful every day.”
He shrugged his shoulders, “I’m just me and you’re just you.”
“And you don’t know how to take a compliment,” I teased him. I grabbed a plate and began putting food on it. Danny and Mason’s plates were already piled high.
I took a bite, “Mmm, this is delicious.”
Mason mumbled something and I think it was to agree with what I said. The others just sat there and made conversation. Jonathon nuzzled my ear. “This time next year we’ll be married,” he whispered in my ear.
I took his hand in mine. “And I’ll be yours forever.”
“Forever,” he agreed.
Chapter Four: Wedding
“Wow,” I gasped when Diana pulled the dress out of the covering. “It’s more beautiful than I imagined.”
Diana and Christian had kept the details of dress hushed, only showing me drawings for approval. The final product was stunning. I took the lacy fabric between my fingers.
It was still early in the morning and the wedding wasn’t until the afternoon. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach.
This was my wedding day.
I was getting married to Jonathon.
After today I would be Mrs. Pulmer.
The thought brought Goosebumps to my skin. Diana took the dress from me and hung it up. Ever since that one day, everything between the two of us had been good. It was almost as if we had needed to hash it out.
“Do you really like it?” She asked shyly, turning me back to the mirror and pulling on strands of my hair.