Page 30 of 21 Years of Jane

As he leaned in and kissed me, hard and passionately, my father cleared his throat.

“Considering that she’s only twenty one and you’re twenty two, I expect a long engagement. Furthermore—”

“Oh honestly, Aaron! Let them have this moment before you start filling it with demands,” my mother scolded, dragging him away from the door.

“Stella! Liam! Come here, please!” Mom called over her shoulder.

“Does this mean you’re going to be our brother?” Liam whispered as he walked past us.

“Yeah, I guess it does,” Nolan answered.

Liam hugged him tightly before he ran out of the room.

“So...” Nolan said.

“So...”

“I was kind of wondering if you really said yes, or if this is a dream,” he said with a laugh.

“I did indeed say yes,” I assured him.

He sat next to me, and I put my head on his shoulder. “I feel like this isn’t official until I present you with a ring of engagement. Fortunately, I have one in mind. I’ll bring it to you tonight.”

“I would think that as my fiancée you should be able to just walk in the front door,” I reasoned.

“A’scuse me,” Liam said, poking his head into the room. “Daddy wants to talk to both of you.”

I sighed heavily. I had a feeling that our special moment wasn’t going to last very long. Nolan got to his feet, bringing me up with him. I hovered in his arms as he slid his feet underneath mine and walked me toward the door. When we reached the top of the stairs, he sat down and secured me on his lap.

“Ready?” he asked mischievously.

“For what?” I asked in confusion.

“To go down, of course.”

He used his hands to give us a start down the stairs, before securing his arms tightly around me. I closed my eyes and let out a little squeal of terror and joy as we rode down the staircase on his rear end.

I laughed when we got to the bottom. Nolan was laughing too, and Mom looked amused. Dad, on the other hand, opened my wheelchair and scooped me off of Nolan.

“I need you to start being a little more responsible,” he said quietly to me as he lowered me onto the chair.

“Yes, Dad. Sorry about that.”

Nolan was sitting on the third from bottom step, his hands locked in front of him, as he waited for Dad to talk to both of us.

“I just wanted to say a couple of things,” he finally said, clearing his throat. “I am aware that when you get married, you’ll want to move out and have a home of your own. I don’t expect that day to be a long time from now.”Mom sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. “But what I do expect is for Jane to stay here with us until you’ve found a place for the two of you to live. We know best how her daily routine goes and we need you to become aware and accustomed to it before you can take her.”

I exchanged a glance with Nolan. I saw his half-smile starting to sneak across his face and I wondered if any smart ass remark would come out of him.

“Mr. East, I understand what you’re saying. And while I would like to take her off of your hands right now, just push her straight out the door and never look back, I completely concede that it wouldn’t be responsible. On any level. So, if I may, I’d like to counter your offer.”

I raised an eyebrow at him, but he was careful not to look at me.

“Go on,” Dad said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“As her betrothed, I think that you should let her move in with me and my parents or let me move in here. We’re not going to do anything under your roof that would be disrespectful, but if you want me to learn her daily routine, the easiest way would be for me to observe from when she wakes up until she goes to sleep. Wouldn’t you agree?”

My eyes became huge. Nolan still wouldn’t look at me. He was intent on holding my father’s gaze. I looked at my mother who looked as equally surprised and horrified as I did.