Chapter 19: Jason

"Hey, Bill, this is Jason Peters up near Bryson City."

"Hey! How's the RV doing?" Bill asked.

"I got the part installed and tested the steering this morning. If you don't mind, we'll be heading out this afternoon and should be at your house by tomorrow afternoon."

"Gonna overnight in the RV?" Bill asked with a laugh.

"I figured we'd stop around Macon for the night so we don't show up at your place so late in the day. If not, we can stick to the original plan and do it in one long day tomorrow."

"You're doing me a huge favor, so do it however you want," Bill said. Jason heard voices in the background as he spoke to someone. "Sorry about that. So are you still planning on staying at the resort this weekend?"

"Yeah, I was hoping to stay an extra night on my own dime if you don't mind."

"Don't mind at all. I've marked your reservation to use my employee discount, so you can stay the whole weekend if you want."

"There was one other thing," Jason paused to make sure Di wasn't close enough to the front room to hear. Bill had never met Di so Jason was sure he could get away with it. "I'm gonna be bringing my fiancée with me. I was hoping to surprise her and maybe tie the knot this weekend."

Bill chuckled. "Good for you! We do weddings all the time at the resort. Let me see if we have anything open. It's our busy season, but sadly there are last minute cancellations sometimes."

"Call me back on this number and let me know if you can. Just keep in mind that she may be around so I may not be able to speak freely."

"Will do. I gotta run, but I'll be in touch. Congratulations!"

Jason rung off with a laugh and danced a quickstep. He wanted to make the day as special as he could for Di. He'd found the wedding rings his Pawpaw and Meemee had worn for as long as she'd been alive. They'd been married for thirty years, so he hoped they'd be lucky to use. Pawpaw's plain gold band fit his finger, but Di's dainty fingers would probably be too small for his Meemee's diamond band. It wouldn't matter so much for the wedding, but he'd need to get it sized if Di wanted to keep wearing it.

Michelle and Lauren had been calling all morning with ideas and suggestions for the wedding. He loved his sisters, but they were driving him crazy. He finally put them off by giving them the task of planning the reception for the following weekend. They promised to have everything ready to welcome their new sister to the family.

Di had been amazing about the whole thing. When Michelle or Lauren started calling her to discuss party ideas, she accepted their suggestions with grace and didn't go all Bridezilla on them. All morning she'd been content in a way he'd never seen in her before. It was like watching a sunrise on a clear day.

He'd first noticed a change when he came to bed after his shower. The kisses in the morning had ignited her passion, but she had still been hesitant at the beginning. When he came out to find her putting coconut oil on her legs there was no hesitation in her at all. She proceeded to give him the handjob to end all handjobs, then boldly requested a repeat of his performance in the morning. He couldn't wait to be married!

A knock on the door made his heart jump. "I'll get it," he called to Di who was busy packing their clothes for the trip.

When he opened the door he saw Jeremy, Dorothy Willard's associate, holding a file folder with a pleased smile on his face. "I've got a delivery from Dorothy. Got a minute?"

"Hey Jeremy, come on in." Jason stood back to invite him into the house.

"Can Di join us?" Jeremy asked as he stood in the entryway.

"Sure," Jason said as he led Jeremy into the living room. "Di? Got a sec?"

She came in wearing jeans and a tight blue tank top, with her bangs hanging across her forehead. Both Jason and Jeremy stopped to watch her cross the room. "What?" she asked with a wrinkled nose.

"Nothing," Jason said as he and Jeremy grinned at each other. She was totally oblivious to her own beauty. "Jeremy has some stuff he wants to go over with us."

Jason waved at the couch for her to join him sitting there while Jeremy took the easy chair and opened his manila folder on the coffee table.

"First, Carrie Whitehall never made a call to social services. She's a piece of work and her new boyfriend is an ass, but I was able to sweet talk her into signing an affidavit just in case it comes up later."

Jason and Di glanced at each other with identical amused expressions, then returned their attention to Jeremy who turned a document to face them.

"Dorothy has drawn up a number of forms for you to take with you to Florida. The address for the prison and the visitor information is on this first sheet. This is a parental consent form for your marriage with colored flags for your signatures. This is your marriage license. You and your witnesses must sign it with a notary present so I can file it back up here."

Di gripped Jason's hand at that and grinned like a kid at Christmas. "Oh my God, it's really gonna happen."

Jason chuckled at her enthusiasm, but he felt the same way.

"Make sure you both have all the necessary identification with you at all times, including the foster forms and proof of guardianship. Dorothy is concerned that once you are gone from here it may spook Lola into trying to claim Di has been kidnapped. She's included a letter as your attorney stating that your trip is legal and has been communicated to your case worker as required by law. Of course, she won't be sending the notification to social services until after you're on your way." Jeremy gave them a wink as he put the documents back in the folder for them.