Georgia On My Mind

31

ROME POV

"So... today?"  Dad asked and I shook my head, trying not to roll my eyes.

Every day for the past few months he asked if it would be the day I proposed to Georgia.

Every day I said no.

"I think I may wait until Italy but I don't want to have a set day planned.  Just gonna play it by ear," I answered my Dad quietly while Mariah joined us on the patio.

We were celebrating Archer's first birthday and decided on a cookout with grilled chicken, steak, and baked potatoes. My baby brother was basking in the attention while Mariah had started to love being hostess for casual get togethers.

We had friends over a couple times a month, even if it was only for pizza and a couple beers. Dad and Ry were also now taking time together whenever possible.  He took her to the nearby vineyard for a long weekend over their anniversary about a month ago and they had consistent date nights out, sometimes just to take Scout to Ballet then get ice cream afterward.  Their time was intentional, so it was obvious to anyone watching that they had grown closer due to those changes.

Christmas was a flurry of excitement as Archer almost took his first steps and a nasty flu virus hit the house. Dad and Ry caught it first, the kids a couple days later, then Georgia and I. My girl did a ton of meal prep and even made chicken stock and homemade chicken noodle soup before we got sick which made the recovery process easier.

Seeing Georgia sick was a humbling experience. In the days before we showed symptoms it was like she could see a countdown clock in front of her. She was scrambling to clean, cook, get clean sheets and towels, plus order grocery delivery including plenty of Gatorade, Pedialyte, and popsicles. Archer barely slept so we took turns making sure he and Scout were okay when Mariah was bedridden with nausea and chills. Dad was finally able to move around a bit by the time we were fully sick so he juggled everything more easily thanks to the prep work she had done.

It almost felt like a rite of passage. When we were laying in bed the first day we spiked fevers, Georgia turned her head to me and offered a rueful smile, "In sickness and in health?"

I chuckled and used what little strength I had to pull her into my arms but she quickly had to race to the bathroom when nausea hit.

Mariah decided to resign at the hospital after the end of January.  She was volunteering at a local free clinic part time and helping Dad with admin work for the company so she could keep busy but also stay home with the kids more often.

That also meant Georgia was free to travel with me as much as possible.

We took a long weekend trip to New York City after New Years, staying with a view of Central Park as we explored the Museum of Modern Art and saw two Broadway shows. I surprised her with the plane tickets in her stocking on Christmas morning. The way her jaw dropped made keeping this secret worthwhile.

It was her first ever plane ride but I knew going somewhere domestic with no stops would make that easier.

Georgia was a more natural traveler than I would have anticipated.  She researched everything and was prepared, knowing which restaurants nearby were open late when we arrived after 10pm. I was impressed at how well she packed her carry on, even adding extra snacks and keeping a portable battery pack charger for our phones in case we needed it.

The preparedness and organization were opposite how I usually traveled, but I also usually went everywhere alone.  Having a partner meant working together.  We communicated easily and ended up having a more exciting visit than I expected. All that planning did not take away any spontaneity.