bounce back

50

liv & i flew from maldives to massachusetts, to spend time with her family for the week.

i have one special request for the week.

way taking me to the cemetery where paul is buried.

if i cant ask livs father for her hand in marriage, ill ask paul.

ive already talked to tracy & way, while liv was working.

way led me to his grave and patted my back.

"ill give you two some time." he said before walking back to the car.

i looked at the headstone and saw red peonies in the vase, liv was here recently.

"hey paul, i know we never got the opportunity to meet but, you helped raise an amazing girl, so im here to ask you a very important question, i would like your permission to marry livlyn. ill forever love livlyn like you loved her, i promise to always take care of her, and i promise to never leave her. i will show her the love of you again."

i wiped my teary eyes and stood there for a second.

i nodded my head and walked back to the car.

i dont know the exact date when im asking liv to marry me, the hockey seasons just so filled in right now. plus i dont want to schedule anything and devils be in the playoffs.

but since i was in town with way, i figured i go ask paul.

i opened the car door and got in the passenger seat.

way wiped his eyes.

"you're a good man jack. i used to be so protective over my older sisters, i hated any man that wanted to be in their lives, but you...you're a good one. i trust you with her."

"thanks man."

we hugged, before he started driving again.

"so, when are you asking?"

"i know its early into the relationship but i feel like ive known her for a lifetime. i'll propose next summer, so it will be around our 2 year anniversary. i want for us to go somewhere and for it to seem like its just us two but i want my family and her family there, just waiting close by." i said.

"god you got me crying man." he chuckled.

we stopped and got lunch together before going back to the house.

we walked in to see kell laying on the countertop in the kitchen with liv sitting at a bar stool.

kell looked up, "you two idiots left your phones here & we wanted you guys to bring lunch back for us."

"you guys have cars." way said back.

"if we wanted to leave the house, we would of." liv sassed.

"we also have food here."

"way, if we wanted the food here, we would of made the food here." she said again.

"you girls are difficult. get in the car." i gave in.

"jack, dont give into them."

"id rather not have a mad liv on my hands." i said, getting the keys to livs car.

the girls skipped to the car and both got in the backseat.

i rolled my eyes as i got in.

"this is definitely the cutest uber driver ive ever had!" liv gushed.

"where am i taking you ladies?"

"mcdonalds!" they cheered.

i laughed and started driving.

the girls talked in the backseat and laughed way too loud.

"eh, whats so funny back there?" i said, briefly making eye contact with liv through the rear view mirror.

"you wouldn't get it." she giggled.

i jokingly shook my head.

the girl's laughter and inside jokes filled the car til we got to mcdonalds.

i pulled up to order and rolled down the window.

"okay what do you guys want?"

"large #7 with a coke." liv said.

"20 count mcnuggets, quarter pound with cheese and a sweet tea."

i repeated the order to the lady and we pulled around to the first window.

i turned around and looked at them.

"yes?"

"you payin?" i asked.

she started looking around the vehicle. "huh, my wallet must be at home."

her face, i knew she planned this whole thing.

i looked at kell, who shrugged her shoulders.

"so im paying?" i joked.

"well they aint gonna give it to us for free." kell said.

"okay." i sighed, getting my wallet out. "you're lucky i love you."

"do you love me?" kell joked.

"well were gonna be family one day so i would say so."

they laughed as i paid and handed them their food.

"thank you." they cheered.

"gosh i cant imagine what you two are like drunk." i joked, driving home.

"can we go on the town tonight?" kell gasped.

"no." i answered.

"joy kill jack." liv said.

"i am not a joy kill."

"so take us to the bar."

"theres no bars here." i said.

"lets make one." kell suggested.

"no. not today."

"so," liv said. "tell us what you and way did."

"we went and got lunch."

"without your phones?"

"it was a top secret meeting."

"what was said?"

"we caught up, talked about hockey & the league & trades."

she gasped. "is he getting traded?"

"it wouldn't be top secret if i told you babe." i smirked.

"i wanna know what you guys just had to talk about, without your phones."

oh youll know in a little over a year.

next step: find time to tell kellyn.

shes a key part of this process because ill have to know liv's ring size so kelly will take care of all of that.