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We heard why Evangeline accepted John back into her life. What brought John to the realization that he should have a life with Evangeline?

We Can’t Be Friends a JOVAN story

Chapter 3    The Explanation

The next day John met again at Evangeline’s apartment so that they could start their wedding plans.  Evangeline was in her bedroom showering and changing because she went for an early run.  John sat of the sofa and thought of his earlier conversation with Evangeline,

‘I’ll tell you something.  I lost you once because of my stupidity.  I almost lost you twice because someone wanted to hurt me by hurting you. Worst of all I almost lost you forever because someone thought they were better than you and that you didn’t deserve to live. Well I will not allow anyone to take you from me ever again.  I will fight anyone and everything to keep you with me.  Nothing short of death will part me from you.  Do you understand me?  I don’t care what anyone else thinks, says, or does the only person whose opinion matters to me is your opinion.  I love you Evangeline don’t ever forget that.’

Evangeline stood in the living room doorway and watched John, who was deep in thought. He looked up and saw her staring at him and he smiled.  

“I was just thinking about what I said to you yesterday about how stupid I was to let you go.  I was stupid and I’m sorry about how I treated you and how Natalie treated you.”

“John, I have thought too about what you said yesterday and I know that I agreed to marry you but I do have to ask this question.  Before you answer, just know that I haven’t changed my mind about marrying you, but I want everything out and on the table so that we are both clear and nothing and no one can come between us.”

“That’s only fair Evangeline.  Go ahead and ask your question.”

“You said that when you heard Nora tell Bo that I was leaving Llanview that something in you died and that prompted you to follow me and declare your love.  John, what if I had not left Llanview, would you have sought me out there and told me that you love me?”

“I don’t know.  No, that’s not true.  Evangeline I always thought or at least hoped that we would get back together.  You didn’t seem to want that but I never gave up hope that one day it might happen even when I was with Natalie.  I went to and with Natalie because you were not an option to me and she was.  I didn’t want to be alone anymore but you didn’t want me so I went with someone who did.  If I had any indication that you wanted a life with me, it may sound cruel, but I would have jumped at the opportunity even though I was with Natalie.  I didn’t love Natalie like I love or loved you but she was better than nothing.  It sounds selfish I know but it’s the truth.  Going through therapy I realized how very selfish I was in my relationships with you and Natalie.  I ended it with Natalie during my therapy because she hindered my recovery. That relationship was not healthy for either of us.  It was a co-dependency that I needed to sever and so I did.  And before you ask, no I won’t run to Natalie if she gets into trouble like I did so many times in the past.  As I said, I severed that relationship.  I told Natalie that she was the ‘rebound’ girl after my relationship with you.  You can imagine how that conversation went but it doesn’t matter to me now because she is in the past and I have no plans to ‘repeat the past’ as the saying goes.  I have learned from my past.  You may ask, what have I learned?  I have learned not to take for granted the love that someone gives me and expect that person to stick around when I don’t return that love; and not to put anyone else above the person I say that I love.  Does that answer your question?

“Yes John it does.  Do you have any questions for me that you want answered?

“Evangeline you have always been up front with me and honest.  I was the one moving in the shadows.  Any questions that I may have had were all answered when you agreed to marry me. That’s the only question that I had and you answered it.  I will stay honest and true to you.  I will not cheat on you, I will not leave you, I will not put you second to anyone or anything except God, and I will love you for as long as I have breath.”

“Then I think that we know all that we need to know John. Now let’s start this wedding planning.  Of course we will not, and I repeat will not get married in Llanview.”

“I agree that Llanview will not be the site for the wedding.  Do you want a big wedding or a small intimate ceremony?”

“What do you mean do I, didn’t you mean do we? This is your wedding too John?”

“Well if you want my preference, I want a small intimate ceremony with just a few family members and friends.  A small reception afterwards and then the honeymoon.”

“Well since we’re only getting married once I thought that we would have a big wedding but I don’t want all of the hoopla.  I like the idea of a small wedding party with just family and friends and a reception where we can really have fun instead having so many people, who you haven’t seen in years, and you really don’t get to mingle and enjoy yourself.  My mother of course will want to invite the entire town where she lives. What about your mother, what do you think she will want?”

“Since my mother doesn’t have any daughters I’m sure that she probably planned to go with whatever my bride chose.”

“I tell you what.  Let me talk with my mother and get her thoughts on a place for the ceremony and the reception.  Neither you are I have lived here long enough to know any places so it might work better to have the wedding in my home town and that way my mother can coordinate things there.  She will love to have that involvement.  I see that look on your face.  I know that time that you met my family at my great aunt’s funeral was not the best of times for either of us but they have no say in our wedding and I will let my mother know that no one who has any objections to you are to appear on any guest list for our wedding, relative or not.  We don’t want them there to put a damper on our day.  Does that sound like a plan?  We can Skype my mother and talk with her now if you want to.”

“Sure I think that sounds like a great plan. Can we do a group Skype so that my Mom can join in on the conversation?  I know that she will have to check her work schedule as to the wedding date but I’m sure that she will take off the time to attend. Do we have a date in mind? If I could marry you tomorrow would not be soon enough for me.”

“John we’re not getting married tomorrow but I start work in a month and a half and I want to be married before I start work. Life is too short and we both know how quickly it can be snatched away from you.  I don’t want to wait months to plan a wedding. I want to get married very soon.  And this is not June, September or October so we’re not in the traditional wedding months so we should be able to find somewhere to get married and have a decent reception.  Okay let me set up the Skype and you think about whom you want to invite so that we can get a count of people as we talk with our mothers.”

“Okay get it set up and I will start writing down some names.”

They move to the dining room table and Evangeline gets her laptop and starts the group video session.  They move the dining room chairs so that their mothers could see them both on the screen.  John explained to the mothers the purpose of the calls.  The mothers were pleased to give their input.  Evangeline and John gave their preferences on whom to invite and stressed to Evangeline’s mother that only those supportive family members would attend and the same for John’s relatives.  Both mothers agreed to the wisdom of that decision.  Evangeline and John choose black and white as the color scheme, something simple and classic.  Mrs. Williamson was so pleased that they will have the wedding in her town and that she will check on reception halls and hotels for out of town guests.  When Evangeline and John told them that they wanted the wedding within the month both mothers looked at them amazed.  They both said at the same time,

“You want to get married within a month? Why the rush?”

John looked at Evangeline and she asked him to answer for the two of them,

“Mrs. Williamson and Mom, Evangeline and I don’t want to wait.  Evangeline wants to get married before she starts work in a month and a half and I would marry her today if I could and she would agree.  We have waited too long to be together and we don’t want to risk anything getting in the way of that happening.  We want to get on with our lives as husband and wife.  Please assist us in making this happen in the allotted time frame.”

“John baby we will make it happen.  Won’t we Mrs. Williamson?”

“Yes we will Mrs. McBain, and you can call me Lisa.  We’re family now.”

“Thank you Lisa and you can call me Eve.”

“All right Evangeline and John, Eve and I will work on this and get back with you in a few days.  Don’t worry we will get everything together for you in the allotted time. We will talk with you later, we have work to do.”

The Skype video session ended and John and Evangeline sat at the table for a few moments to gather their thoughts.

“That went particularly well if I say so myself, don’t you agree John?”

“Yes I do.  Our mothers calling each other by first names and working together on our wedding.  That’s a great load off of my mind.  That was a fantastic idea to have both moms on at the same time. That way we didn’t have to say the same thing twice.  I’ve worked up an appetite. Let’s get something to eat.  Do you want to go out we’ve been inside most of the time that I’ve been in town with you?

“Sure let’s go for a walk.  I’m sure there are some eateries where we can stop and have something to eat.”

“Okay let’s go Williamson.”

“After you McBain.”

John heads for the door and Evangeline grabs her keys and phone.  She closes and locks the door and they head out for their walk relieved that the wedding plans are now on track.