LITMIR.BIZ

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Someone left a cooler,” observed Natasha.

      “I saw someone ahead of us leave it there a moment ago,” replied Jack. “Probably heavy. Bet he plans on picking it up on the way back.”

      Jack glanced around. They were alone on the bridge. He didn’t see the figure hidden amongst the trees at the far end of the bridge. The man used binoculars to spot his cohort hiding on the opposite side. A portable radio hanging from his belt crackled. “Got your charges set?”

      “All set,” he replied.

      Out in the middle of the bridge, Natasha turned to Jack and abruptly said, “Okay, what is it? You’re not looking at the view and when you look at me it’s like you’re someplace else. What happened? Something this afternoon? What’s going on?”

      Jack’s mind went numb. His carefully planned words escaped him. He felt like someone had ripped his tongue out.

      “Jack! What is it?”

      He reached in his suit pocket and handed Natasha the small velvet box.

      “Oh … Jack,” whispered Natasha.

      She carefully opened the box and looked at the engagement and wedding rings. The engagement ring was made of yellow gold with three small diamonds imbedded in a V at the top. The V fit into the wedding ring, which had a large diamond in the centre with three smaller diamonds in an opposite V behind the centre diamond.

      “I take it you’re asking me to marry you?”

      Jack nodded his head. He knew he had a goofy grin on his face, but he was so consumed by anticipating what Natasha’s response would be that he was at a loss for words.

      Tears welled up in Natasha’s eyes, but she chose her words carefully and spoke firmly. “Jack, you know I love you, but I want more out of life than that. Someday I want to have children.”

      “I want children, too. That’s why —”

      “Let me finish. I want someone who will be around to be a husband and father forever.”

      “You’re doubting my loyalty? I can’t believe that you would think —”

      “I’m not doubting your loyalty! I believe you keep your promises. Which is what I’m afraid of. I’ve seen your eyes when you talk about Maggie and Ben Junior. It’s that loyalty that scares me! I can accept that your job is dangerous. What I can’t accept is you committing … some act that would see you taken away from me. I’d make a lousy pen pal!”

      Jack felt his eyes water. “Give me a minute, please.” He turned and walked to the opposite side of the bridge and stared out over the abyss. He wondered if he would ever be able to sort out his thoughts. After a couple of seconds, he realized that the answer was really very simple. The most important thing in my life is standing right behind me.

      He turned to face Natasha. “I promise you that from this moment forward, I will not do anything that … that would jeopardize my future with you.”

      Natasha was silent for only a moment, and then she started to cry. “In that case, I would be very pleased to marry you.”

      They kissed and hugged for several moments before Jack remembered to take the champagne from the cooler.

      “What? This is yours?” Natasha asked, as Jack popped the cork and filled two glasses.

      Neither one had time to say a toast. Explosions at both ends of the bridge lit up the evening sky over their heads with fireworks.

      “Jack!”

      “Danny is at one end. A good friend by the name of Louie is at the other.”

      Natasha looked in awe at the fireworks and said, “This is so beautiful.” She raised her glass and said, “To spending the rest of our lives together.”

      “As long as we both shall live.”

       chapter thirty-eight

      On Sunday morning, Jack felt the warmth from the sun shining through Natasha’s patio doors as he ate his breakfast.

      Natasha smiled at him and said, “You’re a man full of surprises, Jack.”

      Jack swallowed the last of his toast and said, “You didn’t see it coming?”

      “No. I didn’t see any of it coming. Yesterday was like a dream.”

      “I’m glad it was a dream and not a nightmare. I was pretty nervous.”

      “You also must have been pretty busy! We barely stepped inside the restaurant last night before they played The Marriage of Figaro. For the maître d’ to be that attentive, I suspect you must have been more than generous.”

      “Yesterday was a little hectic, but you know something?”

      “What?”

      “You’re worth it.”

      “You’re damn right, I am!” Natasha laughed.

      Jack checked his watch and said, “If you’re going to take Marcie out for lunch, you better get going.”

      “You’re sure she doesn’t know?”

      Jack shook his head. “Marcie was in the barn when I called. Liz is really excited but she won’t say anything to her until you break the news.”

      “Good.”

      “I’m really pleased that you want to do this for Marcie.”

      “You don’t feel left out?”

      “Not a bit. Especially shopping for clothes. The two of you will have a lot more fun without me tagging along. Besides, I need to get back to my own apartment and change.”

      From his hiding place, Thumper watched as Ben towed the fertilizer spreader around the field on his tractor. Thumper unzipped a sleeping bag as the late-morning sun sucked the dew from the ground. Then he saw Elizabeth and Marcie come out of the house and start hanging clothes from a clothesline that ran from the back porch of the house.

      Thumper glanced behind him as Rolly crept through the bush to take his turn at watching.

      “They movin’ around?” asked Rolly.

      “Doesn’t look like they’re goin’ anywhere. Couldn’t be a better time to pop ’em. The guy is out in the field on a tractor and the bitches are doin’ laundry. If we whack the bitches first, farmboy shouldn’t hear the noise.”

      “Haven’t heard from Wiz.”

      “Give him a call. Tell ’em the three fish are in the barrel. I think it’s time.”

      Jack was excited when he arrived back at his own apartment. Too excited to remember to check his voice-activated tape recorder. It was a mistake he would soon regret.

      After taking a shower and changing his clothes, he reached for his telephone. There were a lot of people to call and share the news with. Danny would stand beside him as best man, along with Louie and Paul, his previous partner. He would need six more to form the honour guard.

      Marcie was ready on time and got in the car as soon as Natasha arrived. They went to a mall and shopped for about an hour before having lunch. Marcie was polite and seemed appreciative that Natasha bought her some clothes, but she was not overly friendly.

      Natasha took a second bite out of her shrimp croissant before realizing that Marcie was staring at her without eating. “Something wrong with your lunch?” she asked.

      “What’s going on?”

      “Can’t I buy you lunch?”

      “I feel like somethin’ is going on. Like you’re not telling me something.”

      “Oh?”

      “Yeah.

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