My love for you is Immortal,
Eternal, Eternal
Riele was feeding Jace strawberries when Sean plopped down beside them.
"Hey...don't eat all the strawberries.Jace."
"Oh, come on, Sean. I need my strength." He winked at Riele who in turn only sighed. She conceded there was no keeping house with her husband when he was being his exuberant self. Still, she could hardly get angry with him, never could.
"So, how long are the two of you staying here?" Sean asked.
"This week basically. We're hoping to move into my place soon. And then, we'll be looking for our own house" Jace told him.
Sean frowned. "I thought you already had a house in mind, Jace."
"I did yes, but we kinda changed our minds..so we're looking for something else now."
Sean nodded in understanding.
He supposed they wanted to start their new life together without any old memories.
"And how about your designing ? I heard you had some great offers?"
She looked at him with mild surprise.
"Wow, you are well-informed, aren't you... you Sly Fox."
"Sean Ryan Fox, Mrs Norman", he laughed. News travels fast around here, especially where it concerns you two. This isn't Italy, Riele. "
She groaned.
'"Oh, don't remind me. I was so used to living relatively anonymously over there, but the minute I stepped foot off the plane, I was rudely awakened. To answer your question though; I am considering all my options.. but right now I just want to focus on our marriage and family.. you know I missed out a lot and I really have to get back in touch with my people."
"Of course you do. Now don't let me keep you from feeding Jace.."
"My dad is coming over this way. I bet I know what's on his mind. " Jace whispered.
"Don't tell me he wants to talk about the birds and bees to you. She whispered back.
"No... worse."
"You guys mind if I join you?" "Not at all, dad...not at all."
He sank down beside them.
"Riele, now that you are a full-fledged Norman..he smiled warmly at her, I think it's time for you to experience one of our traditions.
"Okay.. she looked with slight apprehension at him.
Jace did not mention any so-called traditions to her. Yes, she knew the family well enough, but she supposed there was some rite of passage she had to go through. She prayed it had nothing to do with drinking or worse... What if she had to cook some kind of special dish for the whole family?
Oh Lord, please help me.
"Well, as you know I'm a bit of an outdoors man...
And I've been taking the family on trips ever since my kids were young. So I thought as soon as you and Jace have settled in... we can go on one of our Famous Norman adventures.. we do still have a few months of summer left.. and it would be great to spend some quality time with my favorite daughter-in- law.
How does that sound? he smiled.
"It sounds great, Mr N..uh.."
"Call me dad if you like."
"Okay, dad."
He kissed her against the temple and stood up and walked over to his wife.
Riele turned to look at Jace.
"Well that wasn't so bad."
"Uhhh.. Riele, dad didn't make himself clear enough. "
"How so?"
" Well you see, my dear wife, your father-in-law, failed to tell you that he likes to "rough it"
"Rough it?"
"Yes, like setting up tents in the woods in the middle of nowhere"
Riele grimaced. "Okay...that sounds fun. But what about animals?" she said in a small voice. "Animals,?" He asked innocently.
"Yes, animals like bears"
Jace stifled the grin forming on his face by stuffing another berry in his mouth.
Meanwhile Riele was feeling like she was going to have a panic attack.
"We have ways to distract them."
She looked at him sharply.
"Well, bears hate the smell of our urine, so all we do is cover the outside of our tents with urine and.,"
"Excuse, come again? You mean to tell me that you pee all over our tents? That we have to sleep in???!!!' she shrieked in disbelief.
Her outburst caused a few heads to turn, but she just ignored them.
Jace bursted out in laughter at her expression.
"I'm kidding, Riele." he guffawed.
He leaned over and kissed her curls.
"Of course we are not going to be staying in the middle of the woods . No way am I gonna allow my wife to be chased around by bears. I'm going to be the only one chasing you around." he leaned down again and nuzzled her neck.
"You better be joking Norman. You were one step away from sleeping in the living room tonight. "
"You wouldn't, Riele..?"
She smiled at him.
"Be a good boy and you'll never have to find out."
