John and I didn’t get to meet again as soon as we had hoped because work got in the way.  We talked each night but had not had the time to actually sit down together. On the fourth day of this roller coaster work getting in the way thing we both decided that enough was enough. We both agreed that we would not allow ‘old habits’ to derail the progress that we had made in our relationship.  Fortunately it was a Friday and the end of the workweek so we decided that we would spend the weekend talking and making plans.  John invited me to dinner at a swanky restaurant in downtown DC.  I smiled when he told me the name of the restaurant.  I said to him, ‘McBain coming up in the world’.  He smiled.  He remembered that I said that to him before about his bathroom at his old apartment.  We agreed to meet at 7:00 p.m. at the restaurant.

John had been very busy since the last time that he saw Evangeline but it wasn’t all due to work.  John did find the ring that he wanted to give to her.  He also made some very important telephone calls. John decided to ‘grab the bull by the horn’ and deal with all of the naysayers of his new relationship with Evangeline by speaking with each of them and pleading his case.

John drove to Maryland to meet with Evangeline’s mother and with Evangeline’s Uncle Clay.  Of course they were none too pleased to see him but he laid it all out on the table to them about how sorry he was for how he treated Evangeline when they were together.  To strengthen his argument he even called Dr. Crosby and allowed Dr. Crosby to divulge some of the things discussed during John’s therapy.  Both Mrs. Williamson and Uncle Clay were impressed with John’s sincerity.  If he was willing to expose the details of this therapy with them then he must be serious about what he intends.  

John finally asked them both if he could ‘have Evangeline’s hand in marriage’.  They both looked at each other, each wanting to give him a hard time, but they knew that Evangeline still loved John.  She had not said anything to them but they remember how happy she was with him and how miserable she was without him.  Even with all the drama with the Buchanan girl, Lisa knew that her daughter loved John McBain.  Clay only wanted Evangeline to be happy.  He remembered the time that John and Evangeline came for her great aunt’s funeral and how he cross-examined John.  He didn’t think that John deserved his niece.  But the John of then is not the same John standing before him now.  Clay considers himself a fair man so if he were in the same situation he would want that same consideration.  So both Lisa and Clay gave their blessings.  John thanked them and left to return to DC.

When John arrived back at his apartment he made two more telephone calls.  He made calls to the two persons, outside of her family, who are very important to Evangeline. He called Nora Hannon and Todd Manning.  He figured that Nora would understand but he knew that Todd would be a hard sell.  John was not naïve enough to not know that Todd also loved Evangeline but that Evangeline did not love Todd in a romantic sense. She loved Todd as a best friend, although he’s sure that Nora would argue that she is Evangeline’s best friend.  Both Nora and Todd are protective of Evangeline.  John appreciates that but he also knew that if they objected to John’s relationship with Evangeline that they could have a major effect on the outcome of his proposal.  So John humbled himself and made those two important telephone calls.  As expected Nora listened, advised, and as expected gave her congrats to him, even though he had not actually proposed yet.  On the other hand Todd fought tooth and nail with him and objected on all grounds but John finally convinced him of his sincerity.  Todd reluctantly conceded but with a final warning, 

“If you hurt her again McBain I will make you disappear never to be found.”

“Todd you do realize that you just threatened an FBI agent. That is a felony offense.”

“Felony, smelony, I don’t care.  Don’t hurt her again.”

“I won’t Todd, I promise you.”

“All right then, you have my permission to marry my best friend Evangeline.  Now get off the phone so that I can call her.”

“Todd don’t call her today.  I have something planned for Friday.  If it goes how I hope I will call you and can talk with her then.  Will you agree to wait until then?

“All right, don’t get your panties in a bunch.  So I take it you will propose on Friday.  Where did you get the ring?  In a Cracker Jack box?  Ha, ha!”

“I will hang up now Todd.  I will call you on Friday.  Thanks for everything.”

“Whatever McBain.  Good night.”

John was glad that was over.

-----------------------------------------  

We arrived at the restaurant and were shown to our table.  We ordered and had a delicious dinner. Just as the waiter approached with the dessert, John put up his hand to stop him.  John then knelt on one knee, took a ring box out his pocket and said,

“Evangeline Williamson I have loved you for so long.  I can’t see my life without you.  Will you marry me and make my life complete?”  He then took out the ring and took my hand, looking at me waiting for an answer.

“John McBain I would love nothing more than to marry you.  Yes, yes, a million times yes!!”

John then stood and kissed me.  Since we were in a public place he couldn’t give me one of his usual ‘all consuming, stop my heart, knock me off my feet’ kiss but it was good enough for public viewing.  Then we heard clapping.  The people at the tables around us were smiling and clapping and offering congratulations.  How we sat back down and ate our dessert I don’t know but we did. 

After dinner we went to my condo and sat and talked through the night.  John did remember to call Todd and Evangeline spoke with him.  She convinced Todd that she was sure that she wanted to marry John and she wanted her friend to be happy for her.  Todd couldn’t refuse Evangeline anything so he said that he was happy for her.  She was happy.  

As it was Friday we didn’t have work the next day.  John did stay the night but slept in the guest room.  I usually kept new pajamas in that room for Todd’s visits so John used those.  We stayed true to our agreement of ‘no sex’ and strangely enough it wasn’t hard to do.  We both wanted to do this the right way.  Saturday I had a session with my running group so John left to go to his apartment but we agreed to me up later in the day at his apartment.  He would cook dinner for me.  My, my how things have changed.  John actually cooks.

After John left I prepared myself for my run.  I met the group at the designated place and we ran our eight miles.  The running group consists of 10 men and women of ages ranging from middle twenties to middle sixties.  Some are training for events and others of us run for the fun of it.  It makes it more enjoyable when you can run with someone. Everyone in the group has been very nice to me. I’m one of the newer members.  I usually work out in the exercise room at work but I thought that getting out into the fresh air would do me good and running is always a good choice.  One lady in the group in particular has taken me under her wing.  She’s been running for years.  She’s in her early fifties, but looks like she’s in her forties.  She doesn’t talk too much about her work but I do know that she works for the government.  We refer to each other strictly by first names.  One person coordinates the running group and contacts us my messaging or email.  Who uses email anymore these days?  Some people still do.  Any way, I digress.  Surprisingly I enjoy running.  Margie loves running.  That’s her name Margie, the lady who has befriended me.

A/N: Margie’s a character in one of my other stories. Do you know which story?

As always, thnx for reading and do leave a review.  Writing is hard and the reviews help ease the load.