We drove to Rutland and I picked out a beautiful diamond, letting him put it on my finger as the shop keeper beamed and clapped.
"You haven't said yes yet," Paul stated as we sat down later to our delayed dinner.
"Yes, I'll marry you. It's when I'll do it that needs discussion."
Paul was stunned. "What do you mean?"
I took his hand. "Your children have to accept me, honestly and completely. If they don't, I'll wait, even if it takes years until they're grown but I love you and will marry you; I'm just not sure when."
"Of course they love you! They've already said that."
I stopped him. "I'll decide that matter."
"And if you think you're not accepted by them, what happens? Will you live with me?"
"Nope, and I won't let you keep me like a mistress either. I'm not sure if I'd move to Boston; probably; maybe not at first, but you'd be a major part of my life. So would your children, but only to the extent they'd want me. If we were forced to wait until they're out of the nest, so be it. I'll still be there for you." I felt like crossing my fingers. I knew Paul North wasn't used to anyone dictating terms to him.
Paul let out a deep breath. "Wow! You are your own woman Sarah Jeanne, aren't you?"
"Yep. Do you want your ring back?"
"Not in a thousand years. I'll do this on your terms, willingly." He added, "I know you're right and I'll wait as long as you wish, but I'm still convinced Karen and Timmy will be thrilled.
I held his hand in mine. "If that is the case, I don't want to wait a minute longer than we have to. I'll drag you to the altar so fast your head will spin."
Our future was discussed, tentatively at least, in less than one hundred hours with Paul being frustratingly agreeable.
"That's not fair," I said at one point when he asked where I wanted to live. "Everything shouldn't be solely my choice. This is your life and the children's lives; they've never lived anywhere else. Who am I to ask the three of you to change everything my way?"
"I want a life with you, Sarah. Period. I'll do anything it takes to attain it. Look. I don't want to quibble about details. If something is important to me, I'll let you know but nothing we discussed so far means anything to me; the house, the location, my life style. It's not my way. I'm used to making a decision and going out and. . . ."